PUBLICATIONS  OF  THE  BABYLONIAN  SECTION 


ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS 
FROM  NIPPUR 


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THE  MUSEUM 


VOL.  Ill 


«ISii 


BY 


JAMES  A.  MONTGOMERY 


PHILADELPHIA 
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UNIVERSITY  OF  PENNSYLVANIA 

THE  MUSEUM 

PUBLICATIONS  OF  THE  BABYLONIAN  SECTION 

VOL.  Ill 


ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS 
FROM  NIPPUR 


BY 

JAMES  A.  MONTGOMERY 

PROFESSOR  AT  THE  PHILADELPHIA  DIVINITY  SCHOOL 
AND  ASSISTANT  PROFESSOR  AT  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  PENNSYLVANIA 


ECKLEY  BRINTON  COXE  JUNIOR  FUND 


PHILADELPHIA 

PUBLISHED  BY  THE  UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM 


TO 

MY  FATHER  AND  MOTHER 


FIRST  AND  BEST  OF  TEACHERS 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

PREFACE 7 


INTRODUCTION 13 

I.  SURVEY  OF  THE  MATERIAL 

§ 1.  The  Material  in  the  Museum  13 

§ 2.  The  Material  Hitherto  Published  and  in  Other 

Collections 16 

§ 3.  Some  Notes  on  the  Texts  Hitherto  Published..  23 


II.  SCRIPT  AND  LANGUAGE 

§ 4.  Introductory 

§ 5.  The  “Rabbinic”  Texts 

§ 6.  The  Syriac  Texts 

§ 7.  The  Mandaic  Texts... 

III.  THE  MAGIC  OF  THE  TEXTS 

§ 8.  The  Praxis  of  the  Inscribed  Bowls 

§ 9.  The  Exorcists 

§ 10.  The  Clients 

§11.  The  Incantations 

§ 12.  The  Objects  of  Exorcism;  the  Demons,  etc 
§ 13.  Propitious  Angels,  Deities,  etc 


IV.  HISTORICAL  CONCLUSIONS 

§ 14.  Age  of  the  Bowls 102 

§ 15.  Relations  of  the  Bowl-Magic 106 

(5) 


40 

46 

49 

51 

67 

95 


26 

27 

32 

37 


6 


CONTENTS. 


TEXTS: 

Nos.  1-42.  Transliteration,  Translation,  Notes 

Nos.  1-30.  “Rabbinic”  Texts 

Nos.  31-37.  Syriac  Texts 

Nos.  38-40.  Mandaic  Texts 


Appendix: 

No.  41.  An  Inscribed  Skull 256 

No.  42.  A Form  of  the  Lilith  Legend 258 

GLOSSARIES: 

Prefatory  Note 267 

A.  Personal  Names 269 

B.  Personal  Names  and  Epithets  of  Deities,  Angels, 

Demons,  etc 274 

C.  General  Glossary 281 

GENERAL  INDEX 309 

PREFATORY  NOTE  TO  THE  PLATES 319 

REGISTER  OF  THE  BOWLS 321 


PAGE 

.117 
.117 
. 223 
.244 


PLATES 


Texts 

Alphabetic  Tables  . . 
Photograph  of  Bowl 


PREFACE 


The  primary  purpose  of  this  publication  was  to  edit,  with 
translation  and  necessary  notes,  the  incantation  texts  inscribed 
on  bowls  from  Nippur,  now  in  the  possession  of  the  Museum. 
But  it  soon  became  apparent  that  full  account  should  be  made 
of  all  other  published  texts  of  like  character,  both  for  my  own 
advantage  in  securing  a larger  material  for  collation  and  also 
for  the  convenience  of  scholars  by  presenting  in  one  work  a 
survey  of  a rather  remote  and  scattered  field,  in  which  many 
have  labored  but  none  has  attempted  a treatment  of  the  sub- 
ject at  large.  I have  accordingly  not  only  given  a description 
of  all  the  earlier  material  but  also  collated  it  as  fully  as  possible 
both  in  the  Glossaries  and  in  the  references  of  Introduction 
and  Commentary.  The  Introduction,  thus  extended  beyond 
the  field  of  the  Nippur  texts,  has  grown  to  still  greater  dimen- 
sions with  the  enlarging  perception  of  the  intimate  relations 
between  the  bowl-inscriptions  and  the  broad  fields  of  ancient 
magical  literature.  Previous  editors,  working  before  the  pres- 
ent great  development  of  the  study  of  magic,  had  taken  little 
notice  of  these  connections  with  a wider  world.  Analogies 
with  the  Talmud  and  possible  connections  with  the  Kabbalis- 
tic  lore  had  been  pointed  out,  but  the  bowls  still  remained 
without  definite  place  or  links  in  the  general  field  of  ancient 
magic.  Withal  the  relations  of  Jewish  magic  to  the  larger 
whole  have  not  yet  been  ascertained. 

But  within  the  last  few  decades  an  immense  advance  has 
been  made  in  our  knowledge  of  ancient  magic  and  of  its  prime 
importance  as  a study  in  the  history  of  mankind.  The  chief 

(7) 


8 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


stimulus  to  this  has  come,  first,  from  the  anthropologists  and 
the  students  of  comparative  religion,  who  have  taught  us  not 
to  ignore  the  most  primitive  or  most  degraded  manifestations 
of  the  human  spirit.  Then  there  have  been  the  rapid  strides 
in  the  advance  of  Egyptology  and  Assyriology,  where  at  every 
step  the  student  faces  the  problem  of  the  identities  and  differ- 
ences of  magic  and  religion.  Further,  the  classical  philologists 
have  at  last  condescended  to  examine  the  vulgar  magical  records 
in  the  Greek  and  Latin  tongues,  and  have  found  an  interest 
in  them  as  revealing  how  the  ancient  “man  of  the  street,” 
and  wiser  men  as  well,  actually  talked  and  thought,  in  modes 
different  from  the  traditional  standards  of  the  classical  civiliza- 
tion. Of  this  large  increase  in  material  and  understanding 
1 have  been  fortunately  able  to  avail  myself,  with  the  result 
of  the  discovery  of  innumerable  clues  proving  that  the  bowl- 
magic  is  in  part  the  lineal  descendant  of  the  old  Babylonian 
sorcery  while  at  the  same  time — and  this  is  the  more  impor- 
tant because  a less  expected  discovery — it  takes  its  place  in 
that  great  field  of  Hellenistic  magic  which  pervaded  the  whole 
of  the  western  world  at  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  era. 
My  chief  contribution  to  the  study  has  been  in  these  two  direc- 
tions, the  relations  with  the  cuneiform  religious  texts  and  the 
Greek  magical  papyri.  The  writer’s  knowledge  of  Egyptian 
magic  was  wholly  at  second  hand,  and  in  any  case  that  earlier 
influence  was  mediated  to  this  special  field  through  Hellenism. 
The  Christian  Syrian  literature  is  shown  to  have  its  close  con- 
nections, being  thoroughly  infused,  as  was  the  early  Church,  with 
magical  ideas.  Magic  within  Judaism  has  been  the  subject 
of  capital  monographs  by  competent  Jewish  scholars,  and  in 
that  direction  1 have  not  been  able  to  do  much  more  than  to 
appropriate  their  results,  except  so  far  as  to  show  the  absolute 


J A.  MONTGOMERY— ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


9 


community  of  ideas  and  terms  and  practice  between  Jewish 
and  Gentile  sorcery.  It  remains  a subject  for  an  interesting 
investigation  to  discover  just  what  Judaism  gave  to,  and  what 
it  received  from,  the  Hellenistic  magic,  but  probably  a hope- 
less study,  for,  as  someone  has  remarked,  in  the  history  of  magic 
we  must  pursue  not  the  genealogical  but  the  analogical  method. 
As  a result  of  these  comparisons,  the  conclusion  must  be  drawn,  as 
indicated  in  § 15  of  the  Introduction,  that  the  magic  of  the  bowls, 
and  in  a general  way,  all  Jewish  magic,  has  come  out  of  the  crucible 
of  the  Graeco-Roman  world,  which,  on  account  of  its  dominating 
civilization,  we  call  Hellenistic;  it  is  not  Jewish  but  eclectic. 

However,  with  this  broadening  of  the  scope  of  the  work, 
it  has  been  the  fixed  purpose  not  to  attempt  any  general  study 
of  magic;  this  would  have  been  but  to  confuse  my  work  and 
cloud  my  results.  With  a single  eye,  the  facts  of  the  texts 
have  been  illustrated  in  as  objective  a way  as  possible  from  the 
phenomena  of  locally  inherited  and  contemporaneous  magic, 
with  the  intent  of  establishing  the  immediate  bonds  of  connec- 
tion. My  work  would  be  a contribution  from  a very  small 
and  limited  field  to  the  study  of  magical  thought  and  practice 
within  a definite  age  and  region.  At  least  there  has  come  to 
the  writer  the  satisfaction  of  finding  a place  for  the  membra 
disjecta  of  these  out-of-the-way  texts  in  the  huge  colossus  of 
that  system  of  magic  which  was  once  almost  the  actual  religion 
of  our  western  civilization. 

If  I appear  to  have  gone  into  much  detail  in  the  treatment 
of  these  noil-literary  texts,  I trust  that  the  results  will  justify 
my  undertaking;  the  expansion  of  the  work  has  proceeded 
naturally  and  subtly  much  beyond  the  editor’s  desire  and 
convenience.  From  the  philological  point  of  view  these  vulgar 
inscriptions  are  of  as  much  interest  to  the  Semitist  as  are  the 


10 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


magical  papyri  to  the  classicist.  Careful  study  shows  that, 
with  the  exception  of  intentionally  unintelligible  passages, 
mystic  phrases  and  the  like,  the  words  and  the  syntax  of  the 
texts  are  the  autograph  representatives  of  the  language  of  their 
writers.  Three  different  Aramaic  dialects,  each  with  its  own 
script,  and  one  script  a peculiar  variety  of  the  Edessene,  are 
offered  in  the  bowls  from  Nippur,  and  they  are  of  importance 
as  original  documents  of  the  dialectic  forms  of  the  speech  of 
Babylonia  about  the  eve  of  the  rise  of  Islam.  Other  original 
monuments  are  well-nigh  lacking  for  this  field;  we  are  confined 
almost  entirely  to  the  school-literatures  of  religious  sects,  of 
the  Jews,  Christian  Syrians  and  Mandaeans,  whose  books  are 
preserved  mostly  in  late  manuscripts.  The  Jewish  magical 
literature  is  all  documentarily  late  or  uncertain  as  to  age,  and 
our  texts  have  a historical  worth  as  almost  the  earliest  records 
in  that  line  which  can  be  exactly  dated.  Further,  the  obscure 
and  crabbed  condition  of  the  texts  compelled  an  exact  philo- 
logical examination  in  order  to  test  hypotheses  of  interpreta- 
tion. And  as  to  matters  beyond  philology,  it  will  not,  I hope, 
be  set  down  to  wilful  acriby  if  I have  attempted  to  work  out 
very  small  clues.  In  such  work  as  this  there  is  no  immediate 
compensation  on  the  surface,  and  it  is  only  by  following  out 
the  fine  tendrils  of  connection  that  results  worth  while  can 
be  obtained.  The  writer’s  experience  in  his  study  is  well 
expressed  by  some  words  of  Professor  Deissmann:  “It  may  be 
that  hundreds  of  stones,  tiresomely  repeating  the  same  monoto- 
nous formula,  have  only  the  value  of  a single  authority,  yet  in 
their  totality,  these  epigraphic  results  furnish  us  with  plenty 
of  material — only  one  should  not  expect  too  much  of  them, 
or  too  little”  ( Bible  Studies,  82). 

In  regard  to  the  representation  of  the  texts  it  might  have 
been  technically  more  correct  to  present  them  in  their  several 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY— ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


11 


scripts.  But  apart  from  the  difficulty  of  procuring  two  of 
these  types  in  American  printing  houses  and  compositors  who 
could  set  them,  it  must  be  patent  that  the  general  convenience 
is  far  better  subserved  by  presenting  the  texts  in  the  well-known 
Hebrew  character,  while  those  who  desire  the  original  scripts 
can  satisfy  themselves  with  the  facsimiles  published  in  the 
second  volume.  The  peculiar  Mandaic  relative  particle  is 
represented,  according  to  convention,  by  the  diacritical  "j;  but 
I have  departed  from  the  usual  custom  of  editing  Mandaic  texts 
by  representing  the  pronominal  suffix  in  -h  by  H and  have 
used  H for  the  radical  H or  Pi,  which  two  sounds  fall  together 
in  the  dialect.  In  the  Glossaries  words  containing  this  common 
character  are  arranged  according  to  its  etymological  distinction 
as  H or  H.  In  the  transliterations  inferior  points  indicate 
doubtful  readings,  superior  points  are  used  for  the  diacritical 
marks  of  the  Syriac  texts.  The  numbered  lines  of  the  texts 
represent  the  spiral  lines,  taken  as  beginning  from  the  radius 
where  the  inscription  begins. 

The  Prefatory  Note  to  the  Plates  describes  how  the  fac- 
similes were  made.  I have  to  express  my  deep  obligation  to 
my  friend  and  colleague,  the  Rev.  Dr.  R.  K.  Yerkes,  for  his 
careful  reading  of  the  volume  in  proof. 

James  A.  Montgomery. 

The  University  Museum,  February  2,  1912. 


I.  SURVEY  OF  THE  MATERIAL 


§ i..  The  Material  in  the  Museum 

The  University  Museum  contains  a large  number  of  inscribed 
earthenware  bowls  found  at  Nippur  belonging  to  the  category  of  the 
so-called  “Incantation  Bowls.”  These  vessels  are  generally  of  the 
size  and  shape  of  a modern  porridge-bowl,  except  that  in  most  cases 
the  bowl  is  somewhat  cone-shaped,  so  that  when  set  down  it  balances  itself 
in  a state  of  unstable  equilibrium.  Some  few  have  the  boss  expanded  into 
a rim,  thus  giving  a flat  surface  at  the  bottom  of  the  bowl.  The  most 
common  size  is  of  about  16  cm.  diameter  at  top,  by  5 cm.  full  depth.  There 
is  one  large  bowl,  28  x 16  cm.1 

The  bowls  are  made  of  a good  clay,  and  are  wheel-turned  and  kiln- 
dried;  they  have  no  surface,  slip  or  glazing  of  any  kind.2  They  were  a 
domestic  ware,  intended  for  foods,  and  in  no  way  differ  from  the  simple 
vessels  which  to  this  day  are  made  in  the  Orient  for  household  use. 

The  bowls  in  the  Museum  were  excavated  at  Nippur,  in  Babylonia,  by 
the  University  of  Pennsylvania  Expedition ; so  far  as  I know,  they  are 
finds  of  the  first  two  campaigns,  conducted  by  Professor  Peters  in  the 
years  1888,  1889.  According  to  Peters’  account,3  these  bowls  were  found 
on  the  top,  or  in  the  first  strata  of  the  mounds,  in  several  places.  They 
appear  generally  to  have  been  discovered  in  the  ruins  of  houses,  amidst 
what  Peters  suggests  were  Jewish  settlements;  the  whole  surface  of  one 
hill,  he  says  “was  covered  with  a Jewish  settlement,  the  houses  of  which 
were  built  of  mud-brick,  and  in  almost  every  bouse  we  found  one,  or  more, 

1 Many  such  large  specimens  are  in  the  British  Museum  and  at  Constantinople. 

2 f am  indebted  to  Mr.  D.  Randall-Maclver,  late  of  the  Museum,  for  the 
characterization  of  the  pottery. 

3 See  his  Nippur,  the  Index  to  which,  sub  “Jewish  incantation  bowls’’  gives  the 
references. 

13 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


14 

Jewish  incantation  bowls."4 5 * 7 8  At  least  in  one  case  bowls  were  found  in 

connection  with  a cemetery;  “we  found  ourselves  in  a graveyard 

It  was  interesting  to  find,  between  one  and  two  metres  below  the  surface, 
in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  slipper-shaped  coffins,  inscribed  Hebrew 
bowls."'  As  for  the  chronological  light  thrown  upon  these  bowls,  Cufic 
coins  were  found  in  the  houses  of  these  “Jewish”  settlements,0  and  one 
of  the  most  extensive  finds  of  inscribed  bowls  was  in  the  strata  above  the 
“Court  of  Columns,”  a Parthian  building/  Peters  holds  the  seventh 
century  to  be  the  latest  date  for  the  Jewish  settlements  where  Cufic  coins 
were  found.* 

The  Museum  Catalogue  counts  over  150  numbers  of  this  class  of 
specimens,  but  the  enumeration  includes  a large  number  of  fragments. 
About  30  of  the  bowls  are  what  I would  call  “original  fakes” ; they  are 
inscribed  with  letters  arbitrarily  arranged,  or  with  pot-hooks,  or  even  in 
some  cases  with  mere  scrawls,  and  I judge  that  these  articles  were  palmed 
off  on  the  unlearned  public  as  “quite  as  good”  as  true  incantations.*  A still 
larger  number  of  the  bowls  are  so  broken  and  their  inscriptions  so  defaced, 
that  I have  not  been  able  to  use  them.  Others  again  were  inscribed  by  so 
illiterate  scribes  that  so  far  as  they  can  be  made  out,  they  offer  only  some 
magical  jargon,  which  adds  nothing  to  our  knowledge.  Again  there  are 
a few  texts  which  are  fairly  written  and  without  those  self-betraying 
combinations  of  letters  that  suggest  a mock  inscription,  but  which  neverthe- 
less are  not  Semitic.  They  may  be  in  some  non-Semitic  tongue,  whether, 
for  example,  in  Pahlavi,  I am  not  able  to  say.  One  of  the  neatest  of  the 
bowls.  No.  2954,  containing  only  four  circular  lines  of  inscription,  inter- 
ested me  as  presenting  a novel  alphabet ; but  I soon  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  this  is  but  another  “fake,"  produced  we  may  suppose  by  some  learned 
impostor — or  wag. 

4 ii,  182  f. ; cf.  p.  194. 

5 i,  245. 

9 ii,  183.  On  the  following  page  the  writer  says  that  Arabic  bowls  along  with 
Jewish  and  Syriac  were  found  ; but  the  Museum  contains  no  Arabic  specimens. 

7 Hilprecht,  Explorations  in  Bible  Lands,  p.  447. 

8 ii,  153,  183,  186.  For  further  discussion  of  the  date,  see  § 14. 

* In  many  cases  the  inscriptions  were  written  by  laymen,  who  thus  saved  them- 
selves the  exorcist’s  fee.  Schwab  notices  some  forged  bowls  at  Constantinople, 
PSBA,  xiii,  595. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY— ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


15 


All  the  relics  from  Nippur  came  to  the  University  as  the  gift  of  the 
Sultan  of  Turkey,  and  in  the  matter  of  these  incantation  bowls  I understand 
that  the  best  specimens,  the  largest  and  fairest,  have  been  retained  in  the 
Imperial  Museum  at  Constantinople.  At  all  events  those  in  Philadelphia 
in  almost  all  cases  prevent  complete  decipherment  because  of  mutilation.10 
A large  segment  of  the  spherical  surface  may  be  missing,  or  an  extensive 
portion  of  the  interior,  a side,  or  the  upper  or  lower  portion  of  the  bowl 
may  have  become  illegible,  probably  through  the  action  of  water.  The 
inscription  being  spiral,  such  mutilations  intrude  their  annoyance  into  every 
line.  The  damaged  nature  of  this  collection  has  added  much  to  the  toil 
of  decipherment,  for  every  break  in  the  text  and  every  effacement  necessi- 
tates speculation  as  to  the  missing  contents.  On  the  other  hand  it  is  cause 
for  remark  and  gratitude  that  these  fragile  vessels  have  been  preserved  as 
intact  as  they  are,  and  that  the  scribes  used  such  excellent  ink  that  what 
they  wrote  has  largely  survived  in  defiance  of  “the  powers  of  the  air,”  the 
elements  and  the  corroding  chemical  agents. 

As  a result  of  the  investigation  of  the  whole  collection  1 have  selected 
40  bowls  for  publication,  to  which  number  should  be  added  the  one  pub- 
lished earlier  by  Myhrman  (accompanying  No.  7).  The  remaining  bowls 
and  fragments  are  on  the  whole  too  illegible  or  too  undecipherable  to 
make  it  worth  while  to  add  them  to  this  material.  The  languages  of  the 
inscriptions  are  three  Aramaic  dialects: — (1)  the  language  with  which  we 
are  familiar  from  the  Babylonian  Talmud,  to  which  belong  Nos.  1-30; 
(2)  a Syriac  dialect,  Nos.  31-37;  the  Mandaic,  Nos.  38-40.  Each  of  these 
has  its  own  script.  As  an  appendix,  I publish,  as  No.  41,  a human  skull 
inscribed  with  a magical  inscription  of  like  character  to  those  on  the  bowls, 
and  No.  42  is  a text  of  peculiar  magical  contents  which  has  come  to  my 
hands,  but  with  its  original  now  lacking  in  the  Museum. 

10  With  few  exceptions,  all  the  bowls  I have  deciphered  have  been  put  together 
from  fragments  into  which  they  had  fallen,  in  the  Museum. 


§ 2.  The  Material  Hitherto  Published,  and  in  Other  Collections1 2 * 


The  first  publication  of  Mesopotamian  incantation  bowls  appeared  in 
Layard’s  notable  volume,  Discoveries  in  the  Ruins  of  Nineveh  and 
Babylon.'  Tn  describing  his  finds  at  Tell  Amran,  near  ITillah,  the  great 
explorer  tells  of  discovering  “five  cups  or  bowls  of  earthenware,  and 
fragments  of  others,  covered  on  the  inner  surface  with  letters  written  in 
a kind  of  ink”  (p.  509).  He  notes  that  like  material  had  been  discovered 
before.  Two  from  the  collection  of  a Mr.  Stewart  had  been  deposited  in 
the  British  Museum,  which  had  also  acquired  through  Colonel  Rawlinson 
eight  specimens  obtained  at  Bagdad,  their  provenance  however  being 
unknown.  Tn  a later  passage  (p.  524)  Layard  records  the  discovery  of  a 
similar  bowl,  along  with  many  fragments,  at  Nippur, — the  precursor  of 
the  collection  in  Philadelphia. 

Layard  committed  his  bowls  to  Mr.  Thomas  Ellis,  of  the  staff  of  the 
British  Museum,  whose  results  are  given  in  Layard’s  work,  appearing 
pp.  509-523.“  Layard  himself  takes  up  the  discussion  p.  523  ff,  with 
criticism  of  Ellis’s  results.  The  latter  presented  five  Judaeo-Aramaic 
bowls,  and  one  in  Syriac,  with  summaries  of  fragments  of  others.  Of 
these  only  four  were  given  in  facsimile,  nos.  i,  3,  5,'  6. 4 Subsequent 
scholarly  investigation  has  proved  not  only  that  Ellis  was  wild  in  his 
interpretations  of  the  bowls,  but  also  that  the  facsimiles  were  unreliable. 
Hence  the  latter  can  only  be  used  with  caution  or  with  the  aid  of  later 

1 Stiibe,  Ji'tdisch-babylonische  Zaubertexte,  1895-  gives  a good  review  of  the 
literature  up  to  date,  although  requiring  some  corrections  and  additions.  See  also 
Wohlstein,  in  ZA,  viii  (1893),  3*3  f- 

2 London,  1853.  There  is  a German  translation  by  Zenker,  the  bowls  appearing 
there  in  Plate  xx. 

5 Layard  leaves  it  somewhat  indefinite  which  bowls  were  treated  by  Ellis. 

* Ellis’s  first  bowl  turns  out  to  be  a duplicate  of  our  No.  11,  under  which  I am 
able  to  present  the  restored  text  of  the  former.  Was  this  the  bowl  which  Layard 
reports  was  found  at  Nippur? 


(16) 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


17 


copies,  while  the  bowls  published  without  facsimiles  are  absolutely  worth- 
less as  scientific  copy.  Layard’s  publication  therefore  did  little  more  than 
attract  the  attention  of  scholars  to  a fresh  field  of  philology  and  religious 
lore. 

The  first  scientific  treatment  of  this  new  material  came  from  M.  A. 
Levy,  of  Breslau,  who  devoted  a long  essay  to  Ellis’s  bowl,  no.  i,  in  the 
Zeitschrift  d.  Deutschen  Morgenlandischen  Gcscllscliaft  for  1855  (ix,  465).5 6 
He  was  the  first  to  grasp  the  peculiar  lingo  of  the  inscription,  and  in  his 
commentary  drew  largely  from  Judaistic  and  Mandaic  stores  of  learning. 
He  also  gave  an  elaborate  treatment  of  the  palaeography  of  the  bowl, 
overthrowing  the  claims  that  had  been  advanced  for  a pre-Christian  origin. 

Twenty  years  later  J.  M.  Rodwell  published  a bowl  from  Hillah  that 
had  been  procured  by  the  British  Museum,  under  the  title,  Remarks  upon 
a Terra-Cotta  Vase,  with  a photographic  facsimile.6  This  second  English 
venture  at  decipherment  was  no  better  than  the  first,  its  sole  merit  lying 
in  the  fact  that  the  French  scholar  J.  Halevy  was  induced  to  take  up  the 
same  bowl  on  the  basis  of  the  facsimile,  and  to  give  it  a scholarly  translit- 
eration and  translation,  with  commentary,  under  the  title,  Observation  sur 
un  vase  judeo-babylonien  du  British  Museum ,7  Four  of  the  bowls  that 
had  been  published  were  presented  by  the  great  Hebrew  epigraphist 
Chwolson  in  his  monumental  Corpus  inscriptionum  hebraicarum .8  The  first 
(Chwolson’s  number,  18)  is  Ellis  no.  1,  the  second  (no.  19)  is  Ellis  no.  3, 
the  third  (no.  20)  is  the  bowl  published  by  Rodwell  and  Halevy;  and  the 


5 Uber  die  von  Layard  aufgefundenen  chaldaischen  Inschriften  anf  Topfge- 
fassen.  Bin  Beitrag  zur  hebraischen  Paliiographie  u.  z.  Religionsgescliichte,  with 
Ellis’s  facsimile.  Levy  again  treated  the  same  inscription  under  the  title  “Epi- 
graphische  Beitrage  zur  Geschichte  der  Juden,”  in  the  Jahrbuch  f.  d.  Geschichte  d. 
Juden,  ii  (1861),  266,  294. 

0 In  TSBA,  ii  (1873),  1 14. 

7 In  Comptes  rendus  de  V Academie  des  Inscriptions  et  Belles-Lettres,  series  iv, 
vol.  v (for  1877;  Paris,  1878),  288.  He  re-edited  his  material  in  his  Melanges  de 
critique  et  d’histoire,  229. 

8 St.  Petersburg,  1882,  col.  113  f.  The  facsimiles  are  reproduced  at  the  end 
of  the  volume.  The  Russian  edition  of  this  work  (St.  Petersburg,  1884)  publishes 
five  bowls  and  considerably  varies  from  the  German  edition  (so  Wohlstein,  ZA,  viii, 
315).  For  nos.  19,  21,  Chwolson  made  use  of  improved  transcripts  prepared  for  him 
by  Halevy.  In  his  review  of  the  Corpus  in  the  Gottingische  Gelehrte  Anzeige  for 
1883,  Landauer  comments  on  these  bowls  (p.  507). 


18 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


fourth  (no.  21)  is  Ellis  no.  5.  Chwolson  adopted  a skeptical  position  to- 
ward the  speculations  and  guesses  of  his  predecessors,  and  his  commentaries 
are  valuable  as  a restraint  upon  their  theories.  Of  special  interest  is  his 
discussion  of  the  age  of  the  bowls  from  the  palaeographic  point  of  view — 
a subject  which  I take  up  in  § 5. 

The  most  extensive  editor  of  the  material  under  discussion  has  been 
Moise  Schwab,  the  author  of  the  French  translation  of  the  Talmud.  In 
1882  he  published,  in  collaboration  with  E.  Babelon,  a bowl  in  the 
possession  of  the  French  government,  under  the  title  Un  vase  judeo- 
chaldeen  de  la  Bibliotheque  Nationale ,°  along  with  a facsimile  and  com- 
mentary. In  1885  he  published  a bowl  at  the  Louvre  in  an  article  entitled 
Unc  coupe  d’ incantation™  without  facsimile.  He  then  presented  a large 
series  of  bowls  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  Society  of  Biblical  Archaeology, 
for  the  years  1891  and  1892.11  He  included  several  bowls  already  pub- 
lished, with  the  old  facsimiles,  but  failed  to  offer  photographic  copies  of 
the  bowls  he  brought  to  light.  It  seems  strange  that  the  English  scholarly 
world  rested  content  with  the  poor  facsimiles  of  the  relics  in  the  British 
Museum,  made  almost  forty  years  before,  and  that  Schwab  did  not  avail 
himself  of  better  texts  than  his  predecessors  had  used.  Between  the  articles 
appearing  in  the  two  volumes  of  the  PSBA  Dr.  Schwab  contributed  studies 
of  two  bowls  to  the  Revue  d'assyriologie,  etc.,  under  the  title,  “Deux  vases 
judeo-babyloniens.”12  These  he  numbered  F and  G so  as  to  align  them 
with  those  appearing  in  the  other  publications.  The  material  thus  presented 
by  Schwab  is  as  follows : 

A,  in  PSBA,  xii  = Ellis,  no.  1;  Levy;  Chwolson,  no.  18. 

B,  in  PSBA,  xii  = Ellis,  no.  3;  Chwolson,  no.  19. 

C,  in  PSBA,  xii  = Rodwell ; Halevy;  Chwolson,  no.  20. 

D,  in  PSBA,  xii  = Ellis,  no.  5 ; Chwolson,  no.  21. 


9 In  Revue  des  etudes  juives,  iv  (1882),  165. 

10  In  Revue  de  I’assyriologie  et  d’archeologie  orientate,  i (1886),  117. 

11  In  vol.  xii,  292 : Les  coupes  magiques  et  I’hydromancie  dans  ll antiquit e orientate, 
with  introductory  remarks,  and,  p.  296,  a description  of  the  22  bowls  then  in  the 
British  Museum;  in  vol.  xiii,  583:  Coupes  a inscriptions  magiques.  This  material 
was  first  presented  to  the  French  Academy  of  Inscriptions  in  the  years  1883,  1885, 
1891.  At  the  end  of  the  first  article  is  a glossary  to  the  bowls  published  therein. 

12  ii  (1892),  136. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


19 


E,  in  PSBA,  xii;  a bowl  in  the  National  Library  at  Paris,  also  in  RBJ, 

iv,  (without  note  in  the  Proceedings  that  he  had  published  it  before). 

F,  G,  in  Rev.  d’ass.,  ii ; bowls  in  the  Louvre.  The  exterior  inscription  on 

G is  given  under  G in  PSBA  (p.  327). 

H,  in  PSBA,  xii ; a bowl  in  the  British  Museum. 

I,  in  PSBA,  xii ; a bowl  in  the  Louvre,  also  in  Rev.  d’ass.,  i (without 

note  that  he  had  published  it  before). 

L,  in  PSBA,  xiii ; a bowl  in  the  Lycklama  Museum  at  Cannes  (other  than 

that  published  by  Hyvernat). 

M,  in  PSBA,  xiii ; a bowl  in  the  Louvre,  acquired  by  Heuzey. 

N,  O,  P,  in  PSBA,  xiii ; three  bowls  in  the  collection  Dieulafoy  from 
Susiana. 

Q,  in  PSBA,  xiii;  a bowl  in  the  Musee  de  Winterthur. 

R,  in  PSBA,  xiii ; a bowl  in  the  coin  department  of  the  Bibliotheque 
Nationale. 

Meanwhile  there  had  appeared,  in  1885,  a study  of  a bowl  in  a 
provincial  French  museum  by  H.  Hyvernat  (now  professor  in  the 
Catholic  University,  Washington)  : Sur  un  vase  judeo-babylonien  du  musee 
Lycklama  de  Cannes  (Provence) .“  Unfortunately  the  accompanying 
photographic  facsimiles  are  barely  legible  as  published ; however  there  is 
little  doubt  as  to  the  text  and  its  meaning.  14  Schwab  also  refers15  to  a bowl 
published  by  B.  Markaug  in  the  Zapiski  of  the  Imperial  Russian  Society 
of  Archaeology,  iv,  83,  which  I have  not  been  able  to  procure. 

A few  years  later  the  collection  of  incantation  bowls  at  the  Royal 

Museum  in  Berlin  was  made  the  subject  of  study  by  two  young  scholars, 
working  contemporaneously  but  independently.  T.  Wohlstein  published, 
under  the  title,  Ueber  einige  aramdische  Inschriften  auf  Thongefdssen  des 
koniglichen  Museums  zu  Berlin,  five  bowls,  with  introduction  to  the  general 
subject  and  commentary.16  And  R.  Stiibe  published  a Berlin  bowl  in  his 

13  In  Zeitschrift  f.  Keilschriftforschung,  ii  (1885),  113. 

14  This  publication  received  criticism  from  M.  Griinbaum  on  a subsequent  page 

of  the  same  journal  (p.  217),  especially  for  its  dependence  upon  Kohut’s  notions 

of  Jewish  angelology ; and  on  p.  295  Noldeke  expressed  some  comments  on  the  text, 
especially  animadverting  on  its  age. 

15  Rev.  d.  Assyriologie , ii,  137. 

16  ZA,  viii  (1893),  313,  and  ix  (1894),  ir,  In  vol.  viii  appears  no.  2422;  in  vol. 
ix,  nos.  2416,  2426,  2414,  2417. 


20 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


J iidisch-babylonische  Zaubertexte .”  The  text  he  published,  the  longest  yet 
edited,  is  the  same  as  the  second  given  by  Wohlstein;  his  treatment  is 
fuller  than  that  of  his  contemporary,  to  whom  he  is  able  to  refer  in  his 
printed  notes.  Stiibe  gives  a description  of  nineteen  bowls  in  the  British 
Museum.  Unfortunately  neither  publication  is  enriched  with  facsimiles. 
Subsequently  S.  Fraenkel  contributed  some  notes  to  Wohlstein’s  bowls 
in  the  same  journal,  in  part  on  the  basis  of  his  own  transcription.18 

Pognon,  French  consul  at  Bagdad,  broke  the  ground  of  a fresh  dialect 
of  bowl-inscriptions  with  the  study  of  a Mandaic  bowl — Une  incantation 
contre  les  genies  malfaisants  en  mandaite,  appearing  in  1892.19  The  bowl 
was  purchased  from  Arabs  at  Bismaya.  In  1898  the  same  scholar  published 
an  elaborate  work  upon  bowls  found  at  Khuabir  55  km.  NW  of  Musseyib, 
on  the  right  bank  of  the  Euphrates ; he  visited  the  locality  but  was  unable  to 
reach  the  site  where  the  bowls  were  found.  His  work,  entitled  Inscriptions 
mandaites  des  coupes  de  Khouabir /“  contains  some  valuable  appendices,  of 
wider  interest  than  the  title  suggests,  and  is  furnished  like  the  earlier 
monograph  with  full  apparatus.  Five  more  Mandaic  bowls  were  published 
by  Lidzbarski  in  his  Bphemeris,  i,  89,  “Mandaische  Zaubertexte.”  The 
fifth  of  these  texts  is  a duplicate  of  my  No.  11  and  is  given  there  in 
parallelism.  Three  of  the  texts  are  in  the  Berlin  Museum,  and  two  in  the 
Louvre. 

Professor  Gottheil  contributed  to  Peters’  Nippur  (ii,  182)  a translation 
of  one  of  the  bowls  at  Pennsylvania  (=  No.  12  below).  Dr.  Myhrman, 
of  Uppsala,  published  from  the  same  collection  no.  16081,  with  commentary; 
his  monograph  appeared  in  Lc  monde  orientate,  Uppsala,  1907-8,  and  with 
revision  as  a contribution  to  the  Hilprecht  Anniversary  Volume21  under 


17  Halle,  1895. 

18  ZZ,  ix,  308. 

19  In  the  Memoires  dc  la  Socicte  de  Linguistique  (Paris),  viii,  193,  and  in  separate 
print. 

20  Paris,  1898,  with  facsimiles  and  full  glossary;  reviewed  by  Noldeke,  WZKM, 
xii,  141 ; Lidzbarski,  TLZ,  1899,  col.  171;  Schwally,  OLZ,  ii,  7,  iii,  458;  Chabot, 
Revue  critique,  xlvi,  43,  xlix,  484.  Pognon  also  saw  some  bowls  in  the  square 
character,  some  in  Estrangelo,  and  some  which  he  presumed  might  be  in  Pahlavi  (p.  1). 
In  my  citations  to  Pognon,  I cite  his  two  books  as  A and  B respectively. 

Leipzig,  1909;  p.  342. 


21 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


21 


the  title  An  Aramaic  Incantation  Text;  this  text  is  given  below  in  parallel 
with  No.  7. 

It  is  in  place  here  to  notice  the  location  of  incantation  bowls  in  the 
various  museums.  Despite  a query  addressed  over  a year  ago  I have  not 
received  any  information  from  the  authorities  as  to  the  number  and  char- 
acter of  the  bowl-texts  at  the  Imperial  Museum  in  Constantinople ; its 
collection  from  what  I hear  must  be  large  and  fine,  and  has  been  particularly 
enriched  from  Nippur. 

Dr.  L.  W.  King  has  kindly  informed  me  that  the  British  Museum  con- 
tains 61  bowls  of  our  class,  exhibited  in  the  Babylonian  Room.  Some  of 
the  specimens,  I also  learn,  are  of  very  large  size.  The  texts  are  in  the 
square  script,  Syriac,  Mandaic  and  Arabic. 

Schwab  thus  sums  up,  for  the  year  1906,  the  bowl-texts  in  the  French 
museums  :22  2 in  the  National  Library,  7 in  the  Louvre,  2 in  the  Museum 
Lycklama,  Cannes;  also  one  in  private  hands. 

Through  Professor  Ranke’s  kindness  I learn  that  in  the  Berlin  Museum 
there  are  69  bowls  with  “Hebrew”  (i.  e.  Aramaic?)  inscriptions,  9 with 
Syriac  (presumably  inclusive  of  Mandaic).  Stube  gives  a description  of 
19  of  these.  In  the  same  museum  there  are  two  inscribed  skulls,  similar 
doubtless  to  the  one  published  below  as  No.  41. 

At  the  National  Museum  in  Washington  are  found  five  bowls,  four  in 
square  script,  one  in  Estrangelo ; but  from  photographs  kindly  lent  me  by 
Dr.  Casanowicz,  two  of  the  former  are  to  be  designated  as  “fakes”  in  the 
sense  used  above.  These  bowls  are  said  to  have  been  found  at  Hillah. 
The  German  Orient-Gesellschaft  has  recently  announced  the  discovery  of 
three  bowls  at  Asshur,23  and  Koldewey,  Tcmpel  von  Babylon  u.  Borsippa, 
58,  speaks  of  numerous  Aramaic  bowls  found  at  Borsippa. 

Of  bowls  in  private  hands,  I note  one  unpublished  Syriac  text  in  the 
possession  of  Professor  Hyvernat,  of  the  Catholic  University,  Washington ; 
and  three  which  Mr.  Wm.  T.  Ellis  purchased  at  Nippur  in  1911,  one  of 
them  containing  a Syriac  text  similar  to  those  published  in  this  volume ; 
this  text  I have  prepared  for  publication  in  the  Journal  of  the  American 

22  Journal  asiatique,  X,  vii,  8. 

23  Mittheilungen,  no.  43,  p.  13. 


22 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


Oriental  Society,  where  it  will  shortly  appear.  A few  citations  of  this 
text  are  given  in  the  glossaries  under  the  abbreviation  “Montg.”24 

The  provenance  of  this  material  is  thus  confined  to  a small  region, 
extending  from  Nippur  and  Bismaya  on  the  south  to  Asshur  on  the  north, 
and  lying  on  both  sides  of  the  Euphrates. 


The  “Roman  bowl  from  Bagdad”  described  by  O.  S.  Tonks  in  the  Am.  Journal 
of  Archaeology,  ioii,  310,  on  which  he  would  find  some  magical  syllables,  has  been 
proved  by  A.  T.  Olmstead  (ib.,  1912,  83)  to  be  a late  Arabic  forgery.  A Pahlavi 
bowl  inscription  reported  by  A.  V.  W.  Jackson,  JAOS,  xxviii,  345,  does  not  belong 
to  our  category. 


3.  Some  Notes  on  the  Texts  Hitherto  Published 


I offer  in  this  section  some  critical  notes  on  the  texts  described  in  the 
last  section.  The  texts  would  in  many  cases  have  been  simplified  if  the 
editors  had  recognized  that  there  is  no  distinction  in  the  script  between 
n and  n,  and  most  often  none  between  land  The  glossary  will  indicate 
emendations  of  simple  words,  but  here  I present  corrections  necessary  for 
the  construction. 

Ellis  i has  been  recovered,  as  remarked  above,  through  a duplicate  in 
the  Pennsylvania  collection;  see  to  No.  n.  No  facsimile  is  given  for 
Ellis  2. 

In  Ellis  3 the  opening  lines  should  read na'nai  ’JDD  '1  nans  'H  pnrn 
(3)  xnno'xi  nan  na’na  ba  . . . nrn  na  nvano  pnbia  (2]  pDX  xntab 
'ji  Nnobi  Tn]“TJ  nj'n  na  mama  jo  pnbia  pox  xamx  Ha  ba  dibi  xnapu- 

The  discovery  of  the  proper  names,  Mehperoz1 2  son  of  Plindu 
(see  Glossary  B),  clears  up  these  lines.  xmD'X  — xmnD'X  ? but  see 
Glossary  C under  latter  word.  After  the  first  word  the  scribe  intended  to 
write  mn  ; inadvertently  he  broke  into  the  word  with  'a  , and  then  leaving 
the  error  uncorrected  (as  is  the  rule  of  these  scribes)  continued  with  the 
first  word. — Read  in  1.  4,  pnHiat’D  (?)  for  prmtPD ; cf.  xnaiatPD  in 
glossary. — In  1.  4 f.  there  is  a parallelism  to  the  opening  lines  of  Schwab  G : 

Ellis  3 Schwab  G 

Hran  rrotp  (?)  miD  nrran  naan  mtpa  nynx  na’sn  nnat v naan  naan  naan 

Ha  ban  pnw  na'an  'b? d 'aam  Hia  xntaib  xa'sn  'bna  na'an  aaia  na^an 

Hi  xaxn  xntaib  (?)  nnam  xaox  Hi  xaxn  xntaib  xa'en  xniyt?  na’en 

DltPH  introduces  a magical  formula  which  can  accomplish  the  bonleverse- 
ment  ( na'an)  of  all  things  and  hence  of  evil  arts,  nia  aaia,  and  must 

1 The  numbers  in  the  text  represent  the  spiral  lines. 

2 This  reading  is  certain  in  1.  8. 


(23) 


24 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


be  the  Assyrian  kezuan  (biblical  pw  ),  used  in  the  general  sense  of  planet, 
pnw.  xmytP,  are  used  in  the  sense  of  derisio,  etc.  (see  Payne-Smith,  Thes., 
col.  4249  f.).— What  follows  is  to  be  read  thus:  “The  curse  of  father  and 
mother,  of  daughter  and  daughter-in-law  and  mother-in-law  is  loosed 
(X'nK>)>  what  is  far  and  what  is  near,  what  is  found  in  country  or  city — 
what  is  found  in  the  country  is  loosed,  and  what  curses  (?)  in  the  city 
is  loosed,  and  what  falls  by  the  way.” 

In  Ellis  5,  1.  2,  read  xn'3  (for  ) and  the  following  word  possibly 
moiKH  |0 , and  translate — “a  house,  whatever  its  name  (i.  e.  whoever  owns 
it),  let  them  read  and  depart  from  it  (run1  lpiD'bl  np'b  np'b),  even 
all  who  dwell  in  it — (i.  e.)  any  vows,”  etc.;  that  is,  the  evil  spirits  are  to 
read  the  kamea  and  depart.  The  jussive  with  b is  exceptional. 

For  the  bowl  edited  by  Rodwell,  Halevy,  Chwolson  and  Schwab,  I give 
the  following  transliteration  : xncbrxi  m'ji  xnpibi  pa'pn  pmiiyi  pcm  pt'nrt  b:) 
"xmab  mb  pmym  mb  hmyn  'emu  '-on  xexe'ii  x’b’bn  pmnpn  pp'rm  xnbb»i 
prince  pb'xi  pb'x  pnbm  nby  nyi  pn  nnv  jd  rtbxbm  pmbm  n'rrpbi  hrnvnbi 
jdi  pmncnp  'Din  bn  pi  pmsu  jd  pbctiEi  pps«i  pmpy  pmam  pmu 3 *  5 6pTJ01 
6nx  'Yin  mix  by  nbxbm  (formEyn  «xmr)  moyi  «xmm  mni'm  pmrrno. 
So  much  is  clear. — Then  follows  an  apostrophe  to  a certain  star,  which 
appears  also  in  Schwab  E.  With  this  parallel  to  our  aid  I read : X2313  'IX 
xmcnnb  'ttnn  xsbo  7xim:  mox  xzrm  n’byn:  i.  e.  “Oh  (or,  woe),  the  star 
on  which  rides  salvation  (healing),8  the  one  which  teaches  arts  to  witches;” 
that  is,  some  star  potent  in  medicine  and  black  arts,  which  may  be  invoked 
for  good  or  evil. — Towards  the  end  is  to  be  read:  XDty  X'DiDE  "Q  n'DB”2 
KniDE  xm . “in  the  name  of  Bar  Mesosia  (a  master-conjurer  evidently), 
the  great  Ineffable  Name.” 

For  Schwab  E,  see  notes  on  the  bowl  just  discussed. — In  the  middle 
of  the  inscription  for  mnElp  'Din . read  'p  ’E“in . 


3 Perfect,  followed  by  futuritive  ppl. 

* Not  an  Arabism,  as  Halevy  suggests. 

5 Pael  pass.  ppl. 

6 A Syriac  interjection;  or  do  these  characters  belong  to  win  ? In  the  parallel, 
Schwab  E,  we  have  ^ xwm. 

7 Cf.  the  Rabbinic  1“’:. 

8 Cf.  Mai.  3 : 20. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


25 


A new  collation  might  contribute  much  to  the  understanding  of 
Schwab  F.  In  1.  I,  ’THE?  (“strong  one”)  is  an  epithet  of  the  “evil  spirit.” 
Read  mn&TK  at  end  of  line. — L.  2,  read  mDJN  ton  T^y,  'JN  being  the 
name  of  the  demon,  and  occurring  again  below. — L.  3.  read  Nntroo,  “like 
oil  they  (the  spirits)  are  dipped  into  the  vessel  of  his  heart,”  i.  e.,  the 
man’s  inwards  are  suffused  with  diseases  as  with  oil.— L.  9 again  Tin  for 
'Bin . — L.  10,  'Binn  for  Tinn  . — L.  11,  njt  ndni  pxi  }dt  wbj  ny : “(ye 
angels  go  forth  from  him)  until  the  consummation  of  time  and  that  time 
is  known,” — with  reference  to  the  day  of  judgment. 

In  Schwab  G,  1.  9,  Ol  iryttty  nSp  NC^y  = “wherefore  have  I heard  a 
voice?  I have  heard  the  voice  of  a man,  Mesarsia,”  etc. 

Schwab  I,  1.  1,  read  xropu  p[3]TD1  n3TS  . — L.  5,  pDl»  si1EJ»3, 

“sorcery  I exorcise.” — L.  12,  read  01  NBC*  D’Kn  : “inscribed  is  the  name 
whereby  heaven  and  earth  are  bound.” 

The  transliteration  of  Schwab  M is  almost  untranslatable.  As  the  first 
word  read  tO'DiD  , “I  adjure,”  which  disposes  of  one  of  Schwab’s  proofs 
that  these  bowls  were  used  in  hydromancy. 

In  Berlin  Museum  no.  2416,  1.  4 (Stiibe  = Wohlstein,  1.  5 ) 0 and 
repeatedly  below,  pnrPB^l  = “whom  I have  cursed.”  In  1.  20,  etc.  the 
demons  are  bidden  to  depart  from  the  sorcerer’s  client  and  transfer  them- 
selves to  any  persons  he  has  cursed. — For  rvai,  1.  6 (W.  8),  see  below, 
to  2 : 2,  and  for  rrnrm  = “of  Yahwe,”  1.  15  (W.  22),  see  13 : 7 and  26:  4. — 
an  Sy,  1.  22  (W.  31)  = “on  ground  of,  in  the  name  of  the  Mystery.” 

In  Wohlstein,  no.  2422,  1.  16,  Nniyo  is  plural  of  the  Targumic  iyD, 
“false  deity;”  the  same  plural  is  meant  in  Nnyt3,  no.  2426,  1.  5.— In  no. 
2417,  11.  3,  6,  for  T31  read  T3i.  Then  'rai  ’DN  = “my  grandmother,” 
and  P Nnn^N  = “the  great  goddess.” 


9 Stiibe’s  text  is  much  the  better. 


II.  SCRIPT  AND  LANGUAGE 


§ 4.  Introductory 

In  the  following  notes  I shall  confine  myself  almost  entirely  to  the 
bowls  at  Pennsylvania.  The  absence  of  facsimiles  or  of  good  ones  in  a 
large  number  of  the  published  texts  prevents  a proper  control  over  those 
texts.  Moreover  there  is  some  advantage  in  confining  the  study  to  a single 
collection  of  texts  whose  age  and  provenance  can  be  exactly  fixed  as  in 
the  case  of  the  bowls  from  Nippur.  At  the  same  time  what  is  true  of 
these  texts  is  found  to  hold  good  for  other  published  inscriptions. 

Our  material  may  be  divided  epigraphically  and  dialectically  into 
three  classes:  (1)  Of  the  “Rabbinic”  dialect  in  the  square  character;  (2) 
of  a Syriac  dialect,  in  a novel  form  of  Estrangelo  script;  (3)  of  the 
Mandaic  dialect  in  its  peculiar  alphabet.  Bowl  inscriptions  of  the  first 
and  third  classes  have  been  published;  but  so  far  no  Syriac  text  has 
appeared  with  the  exception  of  one  essay  noted  p.  16  and  in  § 6. 

Some  apology  may  be  necessary  for  the  term  “Rabbinic”  dialect.  As 
used  here,  it  does  not  imply  that  the  rabbis  or  the  Jews  in  Babylonia  had 
a special  dialect, — they  spoke  the  native  dialects ; nor  that  there  is  any 
unity  in  the  language  of  the  Talmud,  which  is  alive  with  dialectic  varieties.1 
But  the  Talmud  is  practically  our  only  source  for  a certain  family 
of  Aramaic  dialects  in  Babylonia,  easily  distinguished  from  the  two  other 
literary  dialects,  the  Syriac  (Edessene)  and  Mandaic.  The  name  chosen 
is  a convenient  handle.2 


1 Our  texts  themselves,  as  the  discussion  will  show,  are  frequently  of  non- 
Jewish  origin. 

2 “Babylonian”  or  the  old-fashioned  “Chaldaic,”  might  be  used,  but  each  is 
equally  indefinite  and  the  former  would  be  most  confusing. 


5.  The  Rabbinic  Texts 


A.  Script  and  Orthoepy 

Ellis,  who  made  the  first  attempt  at  decipherment  of  bowls  in  the 
square  character,  was  inclined  to  find  in  them  a very  primitive  script, 
antedating  the  Christian  era.1 2  Levy  proceeded  in  a scholarly  fashion  and 
analyzed  each  character — to  be  sure,  with  rather  scanty  epigraphical 
resources he  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  bowl  he  was  treating  was 
to  be  assigned  to  the  seventh  century.  Chwolson  severely  criticized  Levy’s 
method,  and  on  the  basis  of  the  palaeographical  material  in  his  Corpus 
assigned  the  bowls  of  Ellis  to  various  early  dates  (col.  118).  Ellis  I he 
assigned  to  the  first  Christian  century;  for  three  others  he  gave  a graduated 
chronology,  placing  them  in  the  second,  third  and  fourth  centuries 
respectively.  But  Chwolson’s  own  method  is  somewhat  of  a reductio  ad 
absurdum.3  It  is  hazardous  to  assign  a date  for  these  bowls  on  palaeo- 
graphical grounds ; it  is  impossible  to  relate  the  various  variations  of 
script  to  each  other  by  a chronological  scale.  For  instance  the  contempor- 
aneous character  of  many  bowls  at  Nippur  is  shown  by  the  recurrence 
of  the  same  persons  and  families  in  the  texts ; indeed  the  same  persons 
appear  in  texts  of  different  dialects,  yet  these  inscriptions  differ  greatly 
in  script.  But  there  is  no  reason,  at  least  in  the  Nippur  bowls,  to  assign 
them  to  different  ages ; from  the  interrelations  between  them,  personal  and 
phraseological,  I am  inclined  to  assign  them  to  the  same  period.  Indeed 
they  might  all  have  been  written  in  the  same  year,  so  far  as  palaeography 
may  say  anything.  The  differences  are  chirographical,  not  palaeographical. 
Some  of  the  scribes  wrote  a neat,  even  a beautiful  hand ; but  many  were 
written  by  careless  scribes,  and  many  by  illiterate  ones,  probably  often  by 

1 In  Layard,  op.  cit.,  510;  so  Layard  himself  for  no.  1,  p.  525. 

2 ZDM G,  ix,  474. 

3 See  Hyvernat,  p.  140,  on  Levy  and  Chwolson’s  arguments. 


28 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


laymen,  who  affected  to  write  their  own  prescriptions.  The  comparative 
plate  of  characters  presented  by  Levy  offers  a large  number  of  variations 
in  the  forms  of  many  letters : for  2 and  1 eleven  each,  for  o eight,  for  3 
and  six,  etc.  Now  when  one  short  text  offers  so  many  varieties  in 
forms,  it  is  impossible  for  palaeography  to  give  any  nice  chronological 
estimate.  In  fact  the  ruder  the  letters  are,  the  more  archaic  they  appear ; 
yet  they  may  be  mere  degenerations  of  the  standard  type  or  survivals  of 
an  elder  one  persisting  in  obscure  quarters. 

One  need  but  take  a glance  at  Euting’s  alphabetic  tables  at  the  end 
of  Chwolson’s  Corpus  to  recognize  that  the  Hebrew  square  character  has 
remained  essentially  the  same  since  near  the  beginning  of  the  era.  The 
earlier  evidence  is  drawn  from  monuments,  the  later  from  manuscripts, 
while  in  the  long  centuries  of  scribal  reproduction  the  Jews  have  developed 
as  it  were  a conventional  ductus,  whereas  earlier  there  was  far  more  room 
for  variation  when  this  family  of  the  alphabet  was  not  confined  as  a vehicle 
of  a school  of  religious  scribes.  Thus  : is  one  of  the  most  Protean  of 
forms,  but  apparently  all  varieties  are  found  in  almost  every  century  of  the 
first  millennium,  according  to  Euting’s  showing. 

In  the  palaeographical  table  attached  to  this  work  I give  specimen 
alphabets  drawn  from  the  bowls.  But  a fine  analysis  for  chronological 
results  would  be  unprofitable.  For  a round  date  the  bowls  might  be  placed 
on  palaeographical  grounds  at  about  500  A.  C.,  but  this  date  might  be  carried 
further  back  or  further  down  according  as  other  evidence  might  be 
adduced. 

The  finial  letters  are  used,  but  with  few  instances  of  finial  v.  A 
phenomenon  that  presents  some  difficulty  is  the  practical  identification  of  1 
and  ’ and  of  n and  n.  In  the  case  of  the  former  pair,  they  are  often 
distinguished,  the  , being  then  represented  by  a short  stroke  or  sometimes 
by  a small  angle,  the  1 by  a long  stroke ; but  there  is  no  consistency  in  this 
differentiation,  and  the  ' is  easily  prolonged  into  a stroke  like  1 ; within  the 
same  text  or  line  or  even  word,  the  ’ may  be  written  both  ways.  This 
confusion  has  led  to  the  barbarous  appearance  of  many  of  the  edited  texts, 
on  which  Noldeke  has  animadverted.4  The  confusion  throws  doubts  on 
certain  vocalizations, — e.  g.  is  it  XitnvJ’  or  ? — and  it  is  of  grammatical 

4 Zeits.  f.  Keilschriftforsch.,  ii,  2q6. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


29 


moment  in  the  verbal  endings  p and  p,  where,  because  of  the  recession 
of  the  stroke  of  the  },  the  vowel  letters  are  not  at  all  distinguished. 

There  is  no  distinction  between  n and  n in  the  Nippur  bowls,  and  the 
same  is  true  of  the  other  published  bowls,  so  far  as  I can  observe.  The  n 
includes  n.  It  is  the  same  phenomenon  that  appears  in  the  Mandaic,  where 
n has  been  retained  only  as  a pronominal  suffix.  This  identification  is 
the  representation  of  actual  speech,  in  which  our  scribes  no  longer  dis- 
tinguished between  the  two  gutturals,  even  as  in  the  Mandaic.  As  the 
Babylonian  Talmud  distinguished  between  them  in  its  text,  we  may 
surmise  that  the  better  educated  preserved  the  difference  at  least  in  spelling.5 

The  final  n-vowel  is  expressed  by  N,  less  frequently  by  n.  Some  texts 
use  the  latter  consistently,  and  there  is  hardly  a text  which  does  not  give  an 
instance  of  this  spelling.  It  is  used  regularly  for  certain  common  words, 
e.  g.  rrW;  and  especially  when  the  word  contains  an  N,  e.  g.  DON,  max. 
This  is  a primitive  type  of  Aramaic  orthoepy,  but  the  Samaritan  dialect 
has  preserved  it,  and  an  early  Palestinian  amulet,  published  by  me  else- 
where, shows  the  same  features.6  The  phenomenon  is  unique  in  late 
Eastern  Aramaic. 

The  vowel  letters  1 and  ’ are  used  abundantly,  always  in  terminal 
syllables  and  for  long  vowels,  and  very  commonly  for  short  vowels.  Yet 
there  is  variation  in  this  respect,  even  in  the  same  text.  On  the  whole 
N is  sparingly  used  as  a vowel  letter,  preferably  to  indicate  the  feminine 
plural,  e.  g.  yet  indistinguishable  fctnv’b  is  as  frequent. 

It  goes  without  saying  that  there  are  no  vowel  points.  In  one  bowl 
(No.  13)  a kind  of  pothook  has  been  used  to  separate  words,  and  here 
and  there  a point  has  been  used,  but  this  is  the  extent  of  the  punctuation. 
Sometimes  a scoring  is  found  between  the  lines  of  script  and  by  means  of 
vertical  lines  phrases  are  blocked  off ; these  are  generally  magical  combina- 
tions. In  No.  22  one  word  is  written  in  a clumsy  Syriac  script  and  in 
one  of  Ellis’s  bowls  a Syriac  n is  once  used.  Quite  a peculiar  script  is 
found  in  No.  30,  and  S has  a unique  form  in  No.  22. 

5 In  the  elder  type  of  n,  the  left  leg  was  attached  to  the  upper  bar,  hence  the 
confusion  with  n was  easier.  The  Rabbis  preferred  this  form;  see  Men.  29b. 
The  close  assimilation  of  the  two  letters  appears  in  the  Assouan  papyri  of  the  fifth 
century  B.  C. 

6 JAOS,  1911,  272. 


30 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYEONIAN  SECTION. 


B.  The  Language 

The  grammatical  phenomena  in  the  bowls  from  Nippur  can  for  the 
most  part  be  exemplified  from  the  Babylonian  Talmud,  and  like  the  latter 
they  present  various  dialectic  types.  On  the  one  hand  they  have  close 
connections  with  Mandaic  and  on  the  other  they  show  some  Syriac  idioms. 

As  in  the  Mandaic  orthoepy  the  sewa  is  frequently  designated  by  \ a 
circumstance  which  throws  light  upon  the  minor  vocalizations.  I may 
notice  pn'D\s\  priTi’a,  “their  mother,  house,”  etc.;  NrQ’p’J , ph,  xrff’X; 
with  prefixes:  n3ri3'3;  xcnO’b;  pnSotyn,  “their  left  hand;”  and  with  i, 
xma'l , “and  daughters;”  JOTl  (a  punctuation  appearing  also 

in  Targum  Onkelos,  see  to  3:  3). 

In  the  consonants  there  is  the  yielding  of  the  harder  sounds,  e.  g. 
XD2i3D'X,  TErmBD'N  , varying  with  'pD'N,  'V'N  indeed  v lias  become 
a very  rare  character.  In  general  the  gutturals  are  preserved,  though  n and 
n are  no  longer  distinguished.  In  one  bowl,  No.  6,  which  has  other 
Mandaizing  characteristics,  are  found  xnx  NTO,  xpB’J,  V ypB;  na’i,  y "oy. 
The  same  bowl  offers  , with  the  intrusion  of  a new  vowel, 

as  is  particularly  characteristic  of  Mandaic.1 

For  the  pronouns  I may  refer  to  the  lists  at  end  of  Glossary  C.  For 
their  suffixal  forms  may  be  noted  run,  2:  4,  and  even  run.  11:  9 (etc), 
“his  sons,”  n^y  = vnby  in  duplicate  texts  (see  to  1 1 : 9),  as  common  in 
Mandaic,  and  appearing  also  in  the  Talmud.  For  the  2nd  per.  pi.  fern. 
"2-  is  used  for  p3-(see  to  7:  3). 

The  masculine  plural  is  in  and  p-  indifferently,  even  in  close 
association.  xmtD  8:  6 and  the  nouns  in  13:  1 ending  in  rp  are  probably 
Mandaic  forms  of  spelling,  e. 

As  for  the  verb,  along  with  ’ as  dominant  prefix  in  the  impf.,  : takes 
its  place  in  Nos.  6,  13  (along  with  two  cases  in  ’),  19,  25,  28.  A Nifal 
with  Aramaic  ending  appears  in  25  : 2,  lmnDJ  , along  with  the  ppl.  pmD'J. 
In  28:  1 appears  a Syriac  Ethpai’al,  . The  n of  the  reflexive  is 

rarely  lost,  yet  e.  g.  ponim,  ppm'n . 

The  1st  pers.  sing,  appears  as  r6up  or  rr^Dp,  for  a verb  of  i-stem 
we  have  rvp^D . There  is  found  a perfect  plural,  pnyny'N . as  in  Syriac. 


Noldeke,  Maud  Gram.,  § 25. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


31 


Second  feminine  plurals,  which  are  lacking  in  the  Talmud,  are  found; 
unfortunately  as  the  notes  show,  it  is  not  always  possible  to  decide  whether 
a form  is  singular  or  plural,  and  there  is  the  awkward  confusion  of  p-  and 
p-.  In  6:  9 p&nnivn  is  certainly  plural,  and  doubtless  the  masculine 
plural  termination  (as  in  Hebrew)  is  to  be  understood  in  preference  to 
-in,  which  would  be  the  singular.  It  is  uncertain  whether  'pipy,  n : 8,  26:  6, 
is  fern,  singular  or  plural;  in  the  duplicate  text  to  No.  11,  the  plural  is 
evident. 

For  the  few  cases  of  the  quiescence  of  V in  verbal  forms,  see  above. 
In  x"D  roots  we  have,  e.  g.,  nDNnN,  'Drrn.  Unique  is  the  final  loss  of  the 
b of  blN  in  the  participal  form  srTK,  6:  6.  For  forms  of  Kin  we  have 
'liTTi,  VPD  (both  in  the  same  text),  spelt  elsewhere  nnn,  Tin.  The  masc. 
plural  of  the  participle  appears  as  pn,  'in;  cf.  jn»,  |D"i,  from  xnD,  kdi. 

As  to  the  prepositions  there  is  the  interchange  of  b and  by,  as  in 
Mandaic.  Also  observe  the  occurrence  in  the  same  line  of  vilEnp  and 

n’OKnp  ,3:7. 

There  is  almost  nothing  peculiar  in  the  syntax.  I note  the  occurrence 
of  an  old-Aramaic  idiom  in  pnbn'3,  “their  house,”  1:6;  also  the  unique 
idiom,  if  the  text  is  correct, — -1  D’jn,  “and  also,”  1 : 3 (cf.  Latin,  sitnul  ac ). 

8 See  Levias,  Grammar  of  the  Aramaic  Idiom  Contained  in  the  Bab.  Talmud, 
§ 188. 


6.  The  Syriac  Texts 


In  our  collection  appear  seven  bowls  of  Syriac  script  and  language,— 
the  first  of  this  category  to  be  published  with  the  exception  of  the  poor 
facsimile  of  a probably  similar  bowl,  accompanied  with  an  unintelligible 
transliteration,  in  Layard,  Nineveh  and  Babylon,  p.  521  f.1 

A.  Script  and  Orthoepy 

The  script  reveals  itself  as  belonging  to  the  Palmyrene-Syriac  type, 
and  that  we  are  dealing  not  with  a mere  autographic  “sport”  is  clear  from 
the  fact  that  two  or  three  hands  have  written  our  seven  texts.  It  agrees 
with  the  Palmyrene  and  Edessene  in  pointing  ~i,  and  with  the  former  in 
not  distinguishing  1.  The  Seyame  or  double  points  are  used;  this  mark 
is  generally  written  on  the  last  letter,  but  occasionally,  generally  for 
reasons  of  space,  on  an  earlier  character.  Once  the  two  points  are 
written  vertically,  33:  5;  they  may  include  the  points  of  *i,  and  in  34:  6 "1 
appears  to  have  the  two  points  one  above  and  one  below.  The  script 
provides  the  pronominal  fern,  suffix  n with  an  upper  point,  an  ancient 
distinction  in  literary  Syriac.2  But  there  is  marked  distinction  from  the 
Edessene  type  in  the  absence  of  ligature ; letters  may  touch  one  another, 
but  they  are  not  purposely  written  together. 

In  examining  the  individual  characters  (see  my  Alphabetic  Tables) 
we  find  that  3,  r,  n,  y agree  with  the  types  of  the  Estrangelo  alphabet,  and 
2 and  o approximate  the  latter;  but  evidently  our  novel  alphabet  has  had 
a history  independent  of  Estrangelo. 

1 Chwolson  thinks  that  the  script  of  this  bowl  is  of  older  type  than  that  of  the 
Edessene  MS.  of  41 1 (CIH,  col.  116). 

5 In  34 : 4 Xtrio , “Moses,”  is  written  with  a point  over  R — to  represent  the  e 
sound  ? 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


33 


It  reveals  a family  likeness  with  the  types  found  in  early  Edessene 
inscriptions3  (where  the  characters  are  independent  and  no  points  used). 
But  the  genealogy  for  the  peculiarities  of  our  script  is  to  be  found  in  the 
cursive  Palmyrene  script,  with  which  the  Estrangelo  is  also  to  be  connected. 
See  Euting’s  alphabetic  tables,  cols.  17-28,  in  Chwolson  CIH;  his  tables 
in  Noldeke,  Syrische  Grammatik;  the  atlas  to  Lidzbarski’s  Handbuch  2. 
nordsem.  Bpigraphik,  and  for  the  history  of  the  cursive  Edessene  script, 
the  latter  work,  p.  193. 

This  relationship  appears  in  3 (n.  b.  the  curving  stroke  of  the  head)  ; 
in  n (the  type  in  No.  36  is  identical  with  the  Palmyrene)  ; in  1 (with  the 
head  at  almost  a right  angle)  ; in  n (our  character  is  practically  identical 
with  the  Estrangelo,  but  the  origin  of  the  type  is  to  be  found  in  Palmyrene, 
and  a type  in  No.  32  is  the  replica  of  the  angular  form  presented  by  Euting, 
col.  26)  ; in  o ; in  ' reduced  to  a small  stroke  or  coarse  round  mark  on  the 
line;  in  b (with  parallels  in  Euting’s  table  only  in  cursive  Palmyrene,  see 
cols.  24-28);  in  o,  which  tends  to  a closed  figure,  and  D ; in  3 (a  small 
half-oval  figure,  primitive  in  form,  corresponding  most  closely  to  the 
cursive  Palmyrene)  ; in  p;  in  & (preserving  the  ancient  type  against  the 
Edessene  development).  V is  not  found. 

Of  the  remaining  letters,  i is  distinguished  from  *1  by  the  diacritical 
point  as  in  Palmyrene,  but  the  figure  of  both  characters  faces  to  the  right, 
a unique  phenomenon.  The  character  3 is  unique,  with  its  long  curve 
extending  far  to  the  left,  so  that  this  feature  becomes  the  characteristic 
and  the  head  degenerates  to  a point  ;4  but  here  again  the  Palmyrene  type 
may  be  compared.  The  letter  J is  sui  generis,  the  medial  character  may  be 
related  to  the  Palmyrene ; the  finial  with  its  long  stroke  recalls  the 
Estrangelo  finial  3,  but  terminates  in  a fork,  n also  stands  by  itself. 
There  is  a general  resemblance  between  it  and  the  Syriac  types  presented 
by  Euting,  in  Noldeke,  cols,  viii-xiii,  representing  the  fifth  to  the  seventh 
century.  But  those  Syriac  forms  have  arisen  from  the  tendency  to  ligature, 
whereas  our  n is  innocent  of  any  such  purpose.  I am  inclined  to  think 

3 E.  g.  Sachan,  “Edessenische  Inschriften,”  ZDMG,  1882,  142;  n.  b.  no.  8. 

4 The  nearest  approach  to  this  type  appears  in  a similar  character  with  a long 
tail  in  the  Syriac  MS.  from  Turkestan  published  by  Sachau  in  the  Sitzungsberichte 
of  the  Berlin  Academy,  1905,  964. 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


34 

that  it  is  to  be  related  to  a rather  primitive  form  of  n which  consisted  of  a 
downward  stroke  to  the  left  with  a crosspiece  near  the  top.  Our  type  has 
simply  reversed  this,  making  the  stroke  downwards  to  the  right,  while  the 
crosspiece  comes  at  the  bottom. 

This  analysis  of  the  script  presented  in  our  Syriac  bowls  exhibits 
accordingly  an  older  type  than  the  literary  Estrangelo  and  the  Edessene 
inscriptions ; its  most  pronounced  relationships  are  with  the  cursive  Pal- 
myrene, and  it  is  to  be  regarded  as  an  independent  sister  of  the  Edessene 
script.  Withal  no  character  shows  a distinctly  late  type. 

Epigraphically  then  this  script  is  of  much  interest,  as  exhibiting  an 
early  local  form  of  Aramaic  alphabet,  of  Palmyrene  type,  existing  in 
Babylonia.  It  may  have  been  a commercial  script  which  spread  from  the 
metropolis  Palmyra.5  In  § 14  the  age  of  the  bowls  will  be  discussed;  the 
script  itself  does  not  stand  in  the  way  of  an  early  age,  perhaps  the  fourth 
century,  though  other  evidence  may  induce  us  to  date  the  texts  some 
centuries  later. 

Since  the  above  paragraphs  were  finished  and  regarded  as  closed,  my 
attention  has  chanced  upon  the  Turkish  Manichaean  fragments  from  Turfan 
in  Chinese  Turkestan,  and  I find  a striking  resemblance  in  many  characters 
of  the  alphabet  there  used  (which  is  an  offshoot  of  the  Syriac  script)  to 
those  of  the  Syriac  type  before  us.  I may  refer  here  to  the  discussion 
of  the  script  bv  F.  W.  K.  Muller  in  the  Sitsungsberichte  of  the  Berlin 
Academy,  1904,  348  ff.,  and  the  facsimiles  published  in  subsequent  volumes 
of  the  same  journal,  e.  g.  that  facing  p.  1077,  in  the  volume  for  1905.  In 
my  Alphabetic  Tables  at  the  end  of  this  work  I shall  present  the  correspond- 
ence in  parallelism.  The  Turkish  script  is  very  much  younger  than  ours, 
but  has  steadfastly  preserved  the  type  inherited  from  Babylonia.  Mani 
came  from  Babylon,  a few  miles  distant  from  Nippur,  and  we  must 
suppose  that  our  script  was  the  local  use  of  that  region,  which  came  to  be 
adopted  by  Mani  and  his  sect  as  the  vehicle  of  their  literature. 


' It  may  be  worth  while  to  suggest  that  we  possess  in  this  peculiar  script  the 
script  of  the  Harranian  pagans,  vulgarly  known  as  the  Sabians.  As  Chwolson  has 
shown  in  his  monumental  work.  Die  Ssabier  und  der  Ssabismus,  these  heathens 
spoke  a pure  Syriac  (i,  258  f.),  although  the  peculiar  alphabets  assigned  to  them 
by  Arabic  writers  are  fictitious  or  kabbalistic  (ii,  845). 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


35 


The  history  of  our  script  is  thereby  carried  back  to  the  third 
century,  by  which  time  it  was  well  established.  What  was  thus 
a local  script  came  to  be  perpetuated  as  the  literary  instrument  of  the 
Manichaean  sect, — a fate  which  has  so  often  happened  to  various  forms 
of  the  Aramaic  alphabet.  I have  given  further  discussion  of  this  matter 
in  articles  now  in  press  for  the  Museum  Journal  and  the  Journal  of  the 
American  Oriental  Society.  It  may  be  added  that  there  are  no  Manichaean 
traces  in  the  bowls. 

In  the  matter  of  orthoepy,  while  the  forms  without  matres  lectionis 
abundantly  appear  (e.  g.  sn’bv,  plural;  KOJna,  etc.),  plene  writings  are 
also  frequent,  e.  g.  NO'N,  Nipn'E,  nrn,  Nnb'n,  NDXD,  etc.  There  also 

occurs  at  times  the  confusion  of  n and  n , characteristic  in  the  square 
Aramaic  texts  and  in  the  Mandaic : n for  n in  pb'nD  31  : 5,  nrn  38:  3,  N'mQ 
32:  4;  and  n for  n in  pnnno’K  and  pnnmN  36:  5,  TDnn'N'36:  1.  The  same 
sorcerer  or  family  appears  to  have  written  bowls  in  both  the  Rabbinic  and 
Syriac  dialects  (see  Nos.  33-35),  and  hence  the  natural  contamination  of 
the  one  by  the  other. 

The  extensive  use  of  the  Seyame  in  all  plurals  is  to  be  noted : in  the 
pronoun  pbn  31:5,  the  plural  of  the  verb  e.  g.  jvn:  31 : 6,  the  participle 
pnN  37:  8,  etc. 

B . The  Language 

The  dialect  belongs  to  the  Edessene  type;  this  is  evident  from  the 
forms  of  pronouns  and  verbs.  But  there  is  extensive  corruption  from 
the  type  of  dialect  which  has  been  literarily  preserved  in  the  Mandaic. 
This  appears,  as  we  have  seen,  in  the  Mandaic  confusion  of  n and  n. 
The  3rd  sing.  masc.  or  fern,  suffix  to  a plural  appears  as  n;  e.  g.  n33,  “his 
sons,”  33:  13  (with  Seyame),  the  same  for  “her  sons”  (with  single  point 
over  n),  mTs?  (with  Seyame),  37:  8,  etc.  We  have  observed  the  same 
phenomenon  in  the  Rabbinic  texts. 

For  other  similar  Mandaisms  we  may  note:  the  equivalence  of  b and 
by,  34:  10;  the  verbal  form  pb’yi  (from  bby),  34:  10  (see  my  comment); 
the  pronoun  mb'y,  37:  8;  KT3  for  svy3,  34:  8,  cf.  KTiD  for  toniB;  pauN  for 
pmix,  37:  10;  the  construct  Dit?,  e.  g.  34:  6.  There  are  also  some  peculiar 


36 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYEONIAN  SECTION. 


forms,  e.  g.  pDinn  34:  1,  xnj'OK'D  34:2,  NLD’EiD  35:  4;  and  a few  rare  or 
unknown  words:  (didpohoi),  XTDnDI,  XJO~n.  The  numeral  with  the 

suffix  prmn  34:  4,  is  not  classical,  but  is  found  in  Targumic,  Palmyrene, 
and  Neo-Syriac.  In  33:  10  papsxb  is  Afel  infinitive  of  pDJ. 


§ 7-  Thu  Mandaic  Tuxts 


A.  Script  and  Orthoepy 

The  script  of  the  Mandaic  bowls  is  exactly  similar  to  that  of  those 
published  in  facsimile  by  Pognon.  The  peculiarities  of  certain  characters 
distinguishing  them  from  those  in  the  MSS.  of  the  fifteenth  and  following 
centuries,  as  noted  by  that  scholar  (Une  incantation,  12  f.),  appear  likewise 
in  these  bowls.1 

The  3 is  a large  letter  dropping  its  shaft  obliquely  below  the  line  and 
recovering  itself  by  an  up-stroke  at  an  acute  angle,  j is  a zigzag  figure, 
or  has  an  open,  round  flourish  at  the  top.  Following  the  traditions  of  the 
early  alphabet  1 and  i are  similar,  often  indistinguishable;  the  former 
tends  to  a smaller  head  and  a square  angle  at  the  top,  the  latter  to  a curving 
form  like  the  end  of  a loop.  T is  ligated  at  the  top  with  the  preceding 
letter,  n has,  in  Nos.  39,  40,  a long  leg  to  the  right,  u appears  in  angular 
form,  and  also  in  a balloon-shaped  figure.  3 is  a large  letter  rising  well 
above  and  dropping  below  the  line,  sometimes  in  a free  curve.  Except  that 
the  drop  is  vertical,  it  is  similar  to  3;  we  may  compare  the  like  similarity 
in  the  Palmyrene.  In  No.  39  b has  the  primitive  form  of  two  strokes  at 
an  angle,  but  leaning  backward,  and  so  allowing  of  ligature  to  the  left  by 
the  foot.  The  left  foot  of  n projects  itself  obliquely  in  a straight  line,  and 
the  extended  stroke  at  the  top  distinguishes  the  character  from  n.  In  No. 
39,  D has  the  later  form,  similar  to  the  Arabic  with  others,  the  body 
is  fuller,  approximating  the  p.  y is  generally  an  angle  lying  upon  the  line, 
but  in  No.  39  it  drops  below  the  line,  in  two  rough  curving  lines.  B has 
a large  head,  but  does  not  drop  below  the  line.  V is  not  found  in  these 

1 Compare  now  the  early  Mandaic  amulet  published  by  Lidzbarski  in  the  de 
Vogue  Memorial  Volume,  p.  349,  and  the  editor’s  notes,  p.  350.  His  facsimiles  are 
too  indistinct  to  permit  satisfactory  comparison. 


(37) 


38 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


bowls,  p appears  as  a closed  figure,  like  a roundish  Estrangelo  p,  with  the 
left  stroke  failing  to  reach  the  upper  line  and  curving  back— probably  for 
distinction  from  D.  The  consists  of  two  rough  loops,  which  lie  on  top, 
or  below,  or  on  opposite  sides.  The  n has  often  the  simple  form  of  the 
Hebrew  n. 

The  suffixal  n ( which  I represent  by  the  same  character  in  my  trans- 
literation) occurs  at  the  beginning  of  No.  38,  and  is  then  dropped  by  the 
scribe ; it  may  perhaps  be  intended  in  one  or  two  other  cases  in  these 
bowls.  Otherwise  it  cannot  be  distinguished  from  n*  ; however,  following 
the  general  practice  I have  always  indicated  the  suffix  by  n . A similar 
uncertainty  of  distinction  appears  in  Lidzbarski’s  amulet;  in  Pognon’s 
bowls  the  distinction  is  generally  preserved. 

The  peculiar  sign  for  the  relative,  i , has  the  shape  known  from  the 
MSS.,  except  that  the  vertical  stroke  at  the  left  hand  is  often  written 
without  attachment  to  the  first  part.  It  always  appears  as  a separate  word, 
as  is  the  case  in  Codex  B of  Petermann’s  edition  of  the  Ginza,  and 
apparently  in  Eidzbarski’s  bowls.  I have  followed  the  common  editorial 
use  of  attaching  it,  like  the  Aramaic  relative  in  general,  to  the  following 
word.  See  the  arguments  of  Noldeke.  Maud.  Grain-,  92,  for  regarding  the 
sign  as  a peculiar  development  of  “I,  not  as  a ligature  of  H.  But  it  must 
be  asked  why  such  a special  sign  should  have  been  used.  It  appears  to  be 
a survival  of  the  older  Aramaic  '“i , and  I would  argue  that  the  pronuncia- 
tion di  had  survived  until  the  formation  of  the  Mandaic  script.  In  these 
texts,  as  in  the  MSS.,  the  relative  when  internal  (e.  g.  after  1)  is  expressed 
by  i;  but  this  does  not  prove  that  = ~\  , only  that  with  the  support  of 
a preceding  vowel  the  vowel  of  the  relative  was  rejected. 

The  characters  are  spaced  unevenly  and  in  the  case  of  unligated  char- 
acters it  is  often  difficult  to  ascertain  with  which  word  they  are  to  be 
combined.  The  ligation  is  haphazard,  there  is  no  consistent  attempt  at 
consecutive  chirography  as  in  the  later  texts. 

Apart  from  the  bowl-inscriptions  and  Lidzbarski’s  amulets,  all  the 
Mandaic  texts  are  preserved  in  late  texts ; the  former  are  therefore 
important  as  the  earliest  monuments  of  the  script.  In  § 14  I give  evidence 
to  prove  that  the  Nippur  texts  are  to  be  dated  circa  600;  at  that  period  then 
the  Mandaeans  had  elaborated  their  own  alphabet  with  its  peculiarities. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


39 


Investigations,  which  I may  not  expatiate  on  here,  have  led  me  to  the 
belief  that  for  the  most  part  the  Mandaic  alphabet  represents  an  early  type 
of  the  “Syriac”  alphabets ; it  is  indeed  often  closely  connected  with  the 
Palmyrene  and  Nabataean  scripts.  The  sect  itself  must  have  arisen  in 
the  age  when  Gnosticism  was  rife  in  the  Orient  and  before  the  domination 
of  Christianity,  and  we  have  to  suppose  that  it  early  developed  its  own 
peculiar  calligraphy,  after  the  wont  of  the  various  oriental  sects  of  that 
age.  Compare  the  remarks  on  the  Manichaean  alphabet,  § 6. 

As  Pognon  says  of  his  text  from  Bismaya,2  the  language  of  the  bowls 
is  identical  with  that  of  the  Ginza  and  Kulasta.  The  only  difference  is 
formal,  in  the  sparse  or  varying  use  of  the  matres  lectionis.3  I may  cite : 
xrix^vn,  xonbn;  xnny,  Th  xny;  X'n;  xnsnn,  xrnDD,  where  later  x 
was  used  in  the  first  or  second  syllable  or  both ; we  actually  find  xnnr, 
'xr,  'xir.4 

B . The  Language 

We  may  note  the  following  syntactical  peculiarity:  the  apparent  use 
of  the  anticipatory  pronominal  suffix  n without  the  following  relative 
particle  “i,  the  suffix  itself  creating  a kind  of  construct  case-ending,  the 
regimen  being  in  apposition  to  the  suffix.  E.  g.  40:  3:  '3  nna  ns  nn^JD 
“the  word  of  B’s  granddaughter.”  A similar  construction  occurs  through- 
out Nos.  21,  22,  23  (q.  v.)  ; also  a parallel  instance  in  the  Palestinian  amulet 
published  by  the  writer  in  JAOS,  1911,  see  note  there,  p.  278.  In  40:  24 
such  a “construct”  form  in  n is  used  before  a plural  noun : nnX'JXVn  n:x'ns. 
Was  it  in  the  way  of  becoming  a stereotyped  case? 

Apart  from  the  references  to  “Life,”  these  bowls  are  not  specifically 
Mandaic  in  religion.  Pognon’s  bowls  are  much  more  colored  with  Mandae- 
ism.  Under  No.  11  it  is  to  be  observed  that  the  Mandaic  text  there 
compared  is  secondary  to  the  Rabbinic  texts;  probably  in  the  Nippur 
community  the  Mandaeans  got  their  magic  from  the  peoples  of  other 
dialects.  In  Pognon’s  texts  the  spirit  of  the  ancient  Babylonian  magic 
appears  more  strongly  than  in  any  other  of  the  bowl-inscriptions. 

2 Une  incantation,  13. 

3 Which  Pognon  strangely  enough  regards  as  “errors.” 

4 Noldeke’s  expert  judgment,  in  his  review  of  Pognon,  p.  143,  that  the  language 
of  the  bowls  is  later  than  that  of  the  Mandaic  classics,  may  be  noted  here. 


III.  THE  MAGIC  OF  THE  TEXTS 


§ 8.  The  Purpose  oE  the  Inscribed  Bowls 

The  incantation  bowls  belong,  with  few  exceptions,  to  one  very 
specialized  form  of  magic.  They  spontaneously  suggest  the  art  of  “bowl 
magic,”  which,  in  various  forms,  is  spread  over  the  world,  and  which  has 
a straight  genealogy  from  Joseph’s  drinking  cup  to  the  spinster’s  teacup 
of  our  own  day.1  Ellis,  the  first  commentator  on  the  bowls,  advanced  the 
theory  that,  following  an  ancient  and  widespread  therapeutic  device,  they 
were  filled  with  a liquid  which  was  drunk  off  by  the  patient  who  thus 
absorbed  the  virtue  of  the  written  charm.2 *  This  explanation  has  been 
generally  given  up.  Layard  objected  that  then  the  inscriptions  would  have 
been  effaced  by  the  liquid,8 — which  argument,  though  repeated  by  subse- 
quent scholars,  is  not  conclusive,  for  the  magic  vessel  may  have  been 
preserved  as  itself  a permanent  prophylactic.  Layard  himself  thought 
that  they  were  used  in  places  of  sepulture  and  were  charms  for  the  dead, 
apparently  relating  them  to  the  utensils  placed  in  primitive  graves.  A 
number  of  Pognon’s  bowls  are  in  fact  endorsed  with  X'TDp  rp3T , “for 
the  cemetery,”4  and  Wohlstein’s  no.  2417  appears  to  be  directed  against 
the  ghosts  of  the  dead.  But  the  bowls  at  Nippur  were  found  in  ruined 
houses,  and  in  no  case  is  a bowl  intended  for  the  service  of  the  dead. 

Schwab  argued  for  the  hydromantic  use  of  the  bowls.5 * *  He  makes 
reference  to  Babylonian  hydromancy,'  and  proceeds  to  quote  a number  of 

1 Rodwell  expatiates  on  this  kind  of  magic,  TSBA,  ii,  114. 

2 Layard,  Nineveh  and  Babylon,  5 1 1.  Cf.  R.  C.  Thompson,  Semitic  Magic,  pp. 
lv,  lxi. 

* Op.  cit.,  526. 

* Inscriptions  mandaites,  nos.  5,  7,  etc.,  and  p.  3. 

5 PSBA,  xii,  292  f. 

8 Cf.  Hunger,  “Becherwahrsagung  bei  d.  Babyloniern,”  1903  in  Leipziger  Semit- 

ische  Studien,  i. 


(40) 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


41 


Talmudic  passages  referring  to  Joseph’s  cup,  magical  beverages,  etc.,  but 
he  shows  no  connection  between  his  numerous  inscriptions  and  the  method 
and  purpose  of  hydromancy,  which  affects  to  give  an  oracle  to  men  by 
the  movements  of  oil  or  other  floating  objects  in  the  liquid  contained  in 
the  cup.7 

Wohlstein  attempted  another  explanation  in  the  line  of  a kabbalistic 
dictum  that  no  work  of  magic  can  be  effected  without  the  aid  of  a vessel 
(’j^).8  It  was  Hyvernat  however  who  first,  from  the  field  of  Jewish 
demonology,  obtained  the  clue  to  the  right  interpretation  of  the  practice  we 
are  considering.9  He  refers  to  the  Jewish  legends  of  Solomon’s  magical 
ability  to  confine  demons  in  vases,  etc.,  and  the  parallel  fables  in  Arabian 
lore  of  bottled  up  jinns,  etc.10  As  we  shall  immediately  see,  this  is  the  cor- 
rect explanation. 

Pognon  did  not  himself  see  in  situ  the  large  collection  of  bowls  which 
he  published  in  his  Inscriptions  mandaites,  but  he  learnt  from  a native  that 
such  bowls  were  found  buried  just  below  the  surface  of  the  earth,  and, 
generally,  reversed,  the  bottom  of  the  bowl  uppermost,  while  at  times 
bowls  were  found  superimposed  upon  one  another,  the  mouth  of  the  one 
fitted  to  the  mouth  of  the  other  (p.  i If.).  Pognon  does  not  guarantee  the 
truths  of  these  statements,  but  suggests  in  accordance  with  them  the  theory 
that  the  inverted  bowls  were  prisons  for  the  demons,  who  were  confined 
by  the  virtue  of  the  magical  praxis.  The  expeditions  of  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania  to  Nippur  have  corroborated  this  theory  by  ocular  evidence. 
Referring  to  the  find  of  bowls  above  the  Parthian  temple,  Hilprecht  reports 
that  “most  of  the  one  hundred  bowls  excavated  while  I was  on  the  scene 
were  found  upside  down  in  the  ground,”11  and  he  gives  a photograph 
showing  some  of  the  bowls  in  this  position.  He  draws  the  same  conclusion 
as  Pognon  concerning  the  magical  use  of  the  vessels. 

Finally,  one  of  the  Pennsylvania  texts  demonstrates  that  this  was  the 
conscious  purpose  of  the  bowl  magic.  No.  4 opens  thus:  bs'Eb'i  ’bti’D 

7 For  the  correction  of  his  hydromantic  interpretation  of  J'OiD  fptSO,  see  above 

§ 3. 

8 ZA,  viii,  325,  quoting  from  the  book  Raziel,  32. 

8 Sur  une  vase  judeo-babylonien,  137  f. 

10  Comparing  Thousand  and  One  Nights,  ed.  Bulak,  i,  15  (=  Burton’s  tr.  i,  38). 

11  Explorations,  447. 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


xnt^'3  'nn  Sdi  ptynp  pDsta:  “covers  to  hold  in  sacred  (accursed) 
angels  and  evil  spirits,”  etc.12  The  same  inscription  announces  to  the 
demons  that  they  are  “bound  and  sealed  in  each  one  of  the  four  corners 
of  the  house.”13  This  magical  method  in  fact  gives  a special  name  to  the 
bowls;  it  is  called  a which  literally  means  a “press.”  The  same  term 

appears  in  No.  6,  which  opens  as  follows : hi  ’TtrS  pr6  pc33i  KKO'S 
“a  press  which  is  pressed  down  upon  demons,”  etc.  The  theme  is  continued 
throughout  the  text:  “This  press  I press  down  upon  them”  (1.  4);  “who 
ever  transgresses  against  this  press”  (1.  11),  etc.  In  a word  we  have  to  do 
with  a species  of  sympathetic  magic,  the  inverted  bowls  symbolizing  and 
effecting  the  repression  and  suppression  of  the  evil  spirits.1'1 

The  quadruple  use  of  the  bowls  also  explains  the  frequent  recurrence 
of  identical  inscriptions,  e.  g.  Nos.  21,  22,  23,  all  made  out  for  the  same 
client.  The  four  charms  thus  placed  at  equidistant  points,  which  as 
cornerstones  represented  the  security  of  the  house,  formed  a circle  of 
magical  influence  about  the  dwelling.'5 

In  the  Babylonian  magic  we  find  a similar  use  of  phylacteries  buried 
under  the  pavement  of  the  house.  Botta,  Layard  and  George  Smith  dis- 
covered under  the  pavement  of  buildings  small  receptacles  in  which  were 
placed  magical  figurettes,  of  composite  human  and  animal  form.1"  The  use 
of  the  circular  lip  of  the  bowl  is  also  in  line  with  the  magic  circle  which 
appears  to  have  been  practised  by  sprinkling  a circle  of  lime,  flour,  etc. 
around  a group  of  small  images  of  the  gods.1' 


12  See  the  commentary  to  the  text. 

16  The  binding  at  the  four  corners  of  the  house  appears  also  in  Pognon,  B,  nos. 
1,  2.  3,  4,  24., 

14  If  my  interpretation  of  the  introduction  of  Nos.  9 and  14  be  correct,  we 
have  also  a reference  to  the  formal  depositing  of  the  bowls. 

15  Cf.  the  cylinder  and  prism  texts  deposited  at  the  four  corners  of  great 
buildings  in  ancient  Mesopotamia. 

16  Botta,  Monument  de  N in  eve,  v,  168  f. ; Layard,  Nineveh  and  its  Remains,  ii, 
37;  Smith,  Assyrian  Discoveries,  78-  See  Fossey,  La  magie  assyrienne,  114  f • For 
a like  Jewish  and  Christian  use,  see  Reitzenstein,  Poimandres,  30. 

17  Zimmern,  Bcitrdge  a.  Kenntniss  d.  bab.  Religion,  169,  no.  54.  an<f  cf-  Thompson, 
Semitic  Magic,  p.  lxiii,  translating  usurtu  “circle”  (Zimmern,  “Gebilde”).  Cf.  the 
charm  with  a circle  made  by  a ring  presented  in  the  Papyrus  Anastasi,  Wessely, 
Vienna  Dcnkschriftcn.  hist-phil.  Classe,  xxxvi.  2,  p.  34,  and  further  PSBA,  xiii,  165. 
The  circle  of  the  magical  seal  possessed  the  same  efficacy. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


43 


But  there  is  proof  that  the  praxis  of  bowl  magic  existed  in  ancient 
Babylonia.  In  a passage  of  the  magical  Utukki  series  presented  by 
Thompson,’8  we  read  a ban  on  an  evil  spirit:  (a  demon)  “which  roameth 
loose  in  an  upper  chamber,  with  a bason  ( kakkultu ) without  opening  may 
they  cover  it.”  The  editor  in  his  note  has  recognized  the  form  of  magic 
indicated,  without  comparing  it  to  the  later  bowls.19 

The  bowl  is  then  primarily  a domestic  phylactery,  to  be  classed  with 
the  abundant  forms  of  this  species  of  magic,  e.  g.  the  Jewish  Mezuzoth. 
An  exorcism  given  by  Wessely20  from  the  papyri  recalls  much  of  the  very 
wording  of  our  texts:  that  evil  spirits  may  not  injure  the  wearer  of  these 
exorcisms,  hide  not  “in  the  earth,””  nor  under  the  bed  nor  under  the  door 
nor  under  the  gate  nor  under  the  beams  nor  under  vessels  nor  under  holes. 
The  lurking  of  devils  in  the  house  (e.  g.  i : 6),  in  the  beams  and  on  the 
thresholds  (e.g.6:_|.),  frequently  appears  in  our  texts,  as  also  in  the  Talmud, 
Especially  is  the  threshold  named  as  guarded  against  the  intrusions  of  evil 
spirits  (e.  g.  37:  2).  The  means  of  entrance  are  extravagantly  detailed  in 
a Babylonian  text : by  gate,  door,  bolt,  etc.,  lintels,  hinges,  etc.  ;22  and  door 
and  bolt  and  threshold  are  exorcised.23  The  bedchamber  is  the  special 
object  of  care,  and  the  endorsement  on  No.  12,  “of  the  room  of  the  hall,” 
may  refer  to  a bowl  which  was  deposited  in  that  apartment. 

A different  application  of  the  same  magic  is  found  in  the  bowls 
published  by  Pognon,  which  were  found  in  a cemetery,  many  of  them  being 
inscribed  “for  the  cemetery”  ( xnnp  nm).  This  is  the  worldwide 
practice  of  laying  the  graveyard  ghosts.  I am  inclined  to  think  that  dupli- 
cate inscriptions  were  made  out,  some  for  the  house  and  some  for  the 

18  Devils  and  Evil  Spirits  of  Babylonia,  ii,  124. 

19  I must  leave  it  open  whether  the  phrase  in  B.  Mes.  29b  (=  Hull.  84b),  XD3 
piC'ET  XD2  xSi  pc’-im  (the  last  word  is  variously  spelt),  is  a reference  to  our 
magical  art ; it  could  be  translated  ‘'the  cup  of  the  sorcerers  and  not  the  cup  of 
those  who  break  sorcery,”  i.  e.  of  bowls  used  for  malicious  (cf.  § 12)  or  for 
preventive  magic.  Tanhuma  makes  the  second  cup  mean  an  ill-prepared  brew  which 
is  ground  for  divorce;  see  Levy,  Hwb.,  iv,  151a. 

20  Denkschriften,  xlii,  2,  p.  66. 

21  Was  there  a duplicate  buried  in  the  house? 

22  Jastrow,  Religion  Babyloniens  u.  Assyriens,  i,  377,  where  the  full  translation 
is  given. 

23  E.  g.  Tallquist,  Maqlu,  p.  93,  1.  10;  Thompson,  Devils,  ii,  123. 


44 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


graveyard ; this  would  explain  the  reference  to  the  four  corners  of  the 
house  in  Pognon,  nos.  I,  2,  etc.  None  of  the  Nippur  bowls  are  so  marked. 
Wohlstein’s  bowl  no.  2417  is  a detailed  exorcism  of  ghosts. 

But  Nos.  13  and  28  pass  from  prophylactic  to  aggressive  magic;  they 
are  love  charms  such  as  we  meet  in  an  early  age  only  in  the  Greek  world. 
I leave  their  consideration  to  the  commentary,  and  only  note  here  that  a 
love  charm  is  as  much  a naTiuha/ioc  or  defixio,  to  use  the  words  of  classical 
magic,  as  a ban  of  evil  spirits.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  Greek 
charms  for  defixing  a rival  in  the  circus  or  a lover  were  often  buried  in 
cemeteries,  for  the  powers  of  evil  were  in  any  case  invoked.24 

The  bowl  itself  is  called  simply,  SD2  or  xdo,  also  occasionally  nyop 
amulet  = tyvlax-tipiov t applied  secondarily  to  a phylactery  that  is  not  sus- 
pended or  worn  (•/  j?Dp)."’  For  other  terms  applied  to  it  as  a magical 
instrument,  see  § 11. 

The  tradition  of  this  species  of  bowl-magic  has  lasted  down  into  Islam, 
to  fairly  modern  times.  In  his  Monumens  arabes,  persans  ct  tares,  Paris, 
1828,  Reinaud  has  given  (ii,  337  fif.)  a careful  description  of  several  Arabic 
magical  bowls  of  brass  and  glass,  contained  at  his  day  in  private  French 
collections  and  at  the  Vatican.  They  are  talismans  (to  quote  one  of  the 
bowls)  against  snakes,  scorpions  and  dogs,  against  fever,  pangs  of  child- 
birth and  maladies  of  nursing,  enteric  diseases,  sorcery  and  dysentery.28 
They  are  introduced  “in  the  name  of  the  merciful  and  compassionate  God” 
(cf.  the  similar  formula  in  our  texts,  e.  g.  3 : 1 and  note),  and  are  elaborately 
provided  with  quotations  from  the  Koran  and  with  references  to  holy 
legend  and  the  power  of  God  (cf.  § 11).  One  reference  indicates  that 
they  were  inscribed  at  the  propitious  astrological  moment,  cf.  below,  §11. 

This  is  the  only  literary  reference  to  bowls  of  this  character  I have 
been  able  to  discover.  In  the  possession  of  the  Hon.  Mayer  Sulzberger  of 
Philadelphia  is  a small,  finely  engraved  brass  bowl,  with  Koran  quotations 
in  Nashki.  The  text  has  been  translated  by  Dr.  B.  B.  Charles,  Fellow  of 

24  E.  g.  the  Cypriote  charms  published  by  Miss  L.  Macdonald,  PSBA,  xiii,  159, 
and  the  Hadrumetum  tablet,  discussed  in  No.  28. 

25  See  Blau,  Das  altjildische  Zauberwesen,  87,  and  “Amulet”  in  Jewish  Encyc. 

20  So  in  Schwab  L and  Q charms  against  dog-bites,  and  a reference  to  scorpions 
is  found  in  Pognon  B;  see  Glossary  C,  s.  v.  2ipy. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


45 


the  University,  who  has  kindly  allowed  me  to  present  his  rendering,  as 
follows : 

“This  blessed  bowl  wards  off  all  poisons,  and  in  it  are  assembled  tried 
virtues ; and  it  is  for  the  sting  of  the  serpent  and  the  scorpion,  for  fever, 
for  dysentery  (?),  for  indigestion,  for  the  mad  dog,  for  stomachache  and 
colic,  for  headache  and  throbbing,  for  fever  of  the  liver  and  spleen,  for 
facial  contortions,  for  lack  of  blood  (insufficient  blood  supply),  for 
annulling  magic,  and  for  the  eye  and  the  sight,  and  for  use  in  giving  to 
drink  of  water  or  oil,  or  for  harm  to  enemies  and  for  poison  in  the  conclave 
of  (two)  lands,  when  the  imams  of  the  religion  and  the  orthodox  caliphs 
are  thereon  agreed  for  the  advantage  of  the  Muslims.” 

Probably  many  such  phylacteries  are  to  be  found  in  oriental  house- 
holds. Evidently  the  peculiar  practice  of  the  inversion  of  the  bowl  has 
disappeared ; the  vessel  itself  with  its  magical  inscription  has  become 
“blessed,”  an  efficient  phylactery.  But  the  use  of  the  bowl  is  doubtless  a 
survival  of  the  magic  we  are  discussing. 


§ 9-  The  Exorcists 


The  exorcist  is  in  general  anonymous;  his  personality  is  lost  in  his 
professional  possession  of  occult  powers  which  range  far  above  personal 
limitations.  By  the  age  of  our  texts  he  had  long  been  differentiated  from 
the  temple  priest,  or  maintained  connection  with  a cult  only  in  out-of-the- 
way  shrines  or  in  the  new  theosophic  circles  that  sprang  up  in  the 
Hellenistic  age.1  A few  points  however  may  be  noted. 

Several  of  the  Nippur  texts2  contain  magical  formulas  worked  in  the 
name  of  Rabbi  Joshua  ben  Perahia  (Syriac,  Rab  Jesus  bar  P.),  who  is 
none  other  than  one  of  the  early  Zugoth  or  Pairs  who  handed  down  the 
Tradition  from  the  Great  Synagogue  to  later  ages  (see  to  No.  32). 
Whether  this  magical  tradition  concerning  the  venerable  Joshua  be 
authentic  may  be  dubious;3  but  the  case  is  illustrative  of  the  tendency  in 
magic  to  appeal  to  ancient  great  masters  of  sorcery,  and  to  use  their  names 
as  though  their  full  powers  were  possessed.  We  may  compare  the  many 
references  in  the  magical  papyri  to  such  ancient  masters,  whose  spells 
have  become  the  stock  in  trade  of  their  successors.4  The  assumption  of 
these  quacks  is  well  illustrated  by  a Jewish  mortuary  charm  in  which  the 
magician  thus  introduces  himself : “With  the  wand  of  Moses  and  the  plate 
of  Aaron  and  the  seal  of  Solomon  and  the  shield  of  David  and  the  mitre 


1 For  the  Babylonian  asipu  and  masniasu,  see  Zimmern,  Beitrdge,  91 ; Thompson, 
Semitic  Magic,  21. 

2 Nos.  8,  9.  1 7,  32,  33,  34- 

3 For  the  Talmudic  doctors  and  others  who  practised  “legitimate”  magic,  see 
Blau,  Das  altjiidische,  Zauberwesen,  23.  In  34:  2 the  sorcerer  claims  to  be  a 
“cousin”  of  Joshua  and  there  is  reference  to  his  “house,”  i.  e.  school  in  8:  II. 
Compare  the  inherited  magical  powers  of  Choni  the  Circle-maker,  Taan.,  19b,  23. 

4 See  the  list  of  such  magical  authorities  in  Wessely,  Vienna  Denkschriften, 
xxxvi,  2,  p.  37;  cf.  xlii,  2,  p.  10  (I  shall  hereafter  refer  to  these  volumes  simply  as 
xxxvi  and  xlii).  Also  Apuleius  gives  a similar  list,  including  Moses,  xc,  100.  1.  10 
(ed.  Helm),  see  Abt,  “Die  Apologie  des  Apuleius,”  244,  in  Dieterich  and  Wiinsch, 
Religionsgescliichtliche  Versuche  v.  Vorarbeiten,  iv,  2. 

(46) 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


47 


of  the  chief  priest”  (I  perform  this  spell)  and  this  Palestinian  charm 
has  its  parallel  in  our  text  No.  2:  “I  Pabak  come,  clad  in  iron  and  fire, 
vested  with  garments  of  Plermes  the  Logos,  and  my  strength  is  in  him 
who  created  heaven  and  earth.”  In  7 : 12  the  authority  of  Prangin  bar 
Prangin  is  exercised — some  sorcerer  of  the  hazy  past,  if  not  a figment  of 
the  imagination.  ‘The  great  Abbahu’  in  1.  9 is  to  be  explained  in  the  same 
way,  if  it  is  not  a misunderstanding  of  a Gnostic  term,  and  so  too  Bar- 
mestael  in  1.  13,  literally  the  ‘son  of  the  oracle-giver.’  In  some  cases,  e.  g. 
the  latter  two  and  instances  in  No.  19,  it  is  difficult  to  decide  whether  we 
have  to  do  with  men  or  divinities ; the  line  was  not  drawn  between  the 
sorcerer  and  the  deity,  as  in  the  Hermetic  identification  of  Moses  with 
Hermes5 6  and  in  the  lively  incident  in  Acts  14,  where  the  people  of  Lystra 
deify  Barnabas  and  Paul. 

In  one  case,  the  pagan  text  No.  36,  the  exorcist  presents  his  commission 
from  the  deities:  “The  lord  Shamash  has  sent  me  against  thee,  Sina  (the 

moon)  has  sent  me,  Bel  has  commanded  me,  Nannai  has  said  to  me 

Nirig  has  given  me  power.”  This  is  the  survival  of  well  known  old 
Babylonian  formulas,  e.  g.  the  Makln  series,  i,  1.  52  ft’  :7  “Anu  and  Antu 

have  commissioned  me,  I am  ordered,  I go,  I am  sent,  I speak, 

Against  the  might  of  my  sorcerers  Marduk  the  lord  of  incantation  has 
sent  me.” 

I am  inclined  to  think  that  some  of  the  texts,  especially  the  more 
illiterate  ones,  were  written  by  lay  people.  The  “word  of  power”  had 
become  the  essential  element  (see  § 11),  and  like  a physician’s  prescription 
might  be  copied  by  anyone,  or  even  invented — for  along  with  the  belief 
in  sorcery  always  goes  a subconsciousness  of  its  hocus-pocus.  For 
instance,  No.  2 is  a mutual  charm  in  which  two  men,  in  the  respective 
halves  of  the  text,  exercise  each  his  powers  for  the  other.  Are  they 

5 Montgomery,  JAOS,  1911,  272.  For  the  identification  with  Moses  cf.  the 
Hermetic  phrase,  b/u  ei/u  M uvat/g , Wessely,  xxxvi,  129,  1.  109  ff. ; also  see  Dieterich, 
Abraxas,  68,  and  Reitzenstein,  Poimandres,  279.  For  the  Egyptian  use,  cf.  the  Harris 
papyrus,  “I  am  Anion,”  Brugsch,  Religion  u.  Mythologie  d.  alt.  Aegypter,  725.  Or 
the  sorcerer  may  identify  himself  with  some  mighty  demon;  e.  g.  Gift.,  69a,  “I  am 
Papi  Shila  son  of  Sumka,”  cf.  Blau,  op.  cit.  83.  Also  cf.  27:  9 with  2:  6. 

5 Dieterich,  I.  c. 

7 Tallquist,  p.  37.  Cf.  the  commission  of  the  Old  Testament  prophets,  e.  g.  Jer. 
i,  and  the  adoption  of  soothsaying  formulas;  cf.  Nuni.  24:  4 and  Is.  50:  4. 


48 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


professional  magicians  or  not  rather  laymen  who  felt  they  could  make  a 
stronger  defence  against  the  powers  of  evil  by  standing  shoulder  to 
shoulder?  The  texts  are  often  indited  in  the  first  person,  e.  g.  Pognon  24; 
in  No.  27  the  clients  of  No.  7 appear  as  making  the  charm,  and  use  the 
form  of  No.  2.  But  in  general  there  is  a breaking  down  of  the  distinction 
between  personalities  in  magic ; compare  the  Babylonian  rituals,  in  which 
priest  and  suppliant  appear  to  fuse  in  one  another. 

In  one  place  Wohlstein  calls  attention  to  what  appears  to  be  an 
attestation  of  the  incantation,  inserted  into  the  middle  of  the  text.8  The 
obscure  passage  is:  unx  jrjn’  Nun  px  ’b  3’ ns  xim  xD’p.  It  may  be 
translated:  “It  is  correct  for  it  has  been  written  for  me  (or  'p  XD’Op?), 
we  recognize  it  here.”  Cf.  the  attestations  of  the  scribe  in  the  Babylonian 
magical  texts,  e.  g.  the  Maklu  series. 

* ZA,  ix,  36. 


§ io.  Thu  Clients 


Most  of  the  inscriptions  are  of  domestic  character,  being  made  out 
for  a married  couple,  their  children,  their  house,  and  their  property,  cattle, 
etc.  Frequently  it  is  the  wife  and  mother  who  procures  the  charm,  with  or 
without  reference  to  the  husband.  In  many  of  the  inscriptions  there  is 
special  intention  against  the  evils  that  disturb  the  domestic  sexual  life. 
And  so  No.  36  gives  an  exorcism  for  the  bridal-chamber,  No.  24  is  a charm 
for  the  safe  delivery  of  a pregnant  woman.  The  bed-chamber  is  often 
specified  ( nu  ).  There  is  frequent  reference  to  the  demons  that 

slay  the  unborn  babes  (e.  g.  Nos.  36,  37),  the  charm  is  often  made  out  for 
the  children  that  shall  be,  as  well  as  for  those  that  are.  It  would  seem  that 
where  women  are  concerned,  the  greater  part  of  magic  has  to  do  with  the 
mysteries  and  maladies  of  the  sexual  life.  The  Lilis  and  Liliths  which 
predominate  in  the  categories  of  demons  are  personifications  of  sexual 
abnormalities. 

At  times  the  idea  of  the  family  is  extended  to  a wider  scope,  so  as  to 
include  a large  household;  No.  29  is  a good  example;  from  the  long  list  of 
male  names  enumerated,  some  of  them  of  foreigners,  it  appears  that  the 
woman  who  procured  the  charm  was  landlady  of  a lodging  house.  On 
the  other  hand  sometimes  a single  individual  feels  that  a whole  bowl  is 
necessary  for  his  own  maladies ; so  in  the  case  of  the  invalid  who  is  the 
client  of  Schwab's  bowl  F. 

As  the  individuals  must  be  exactly  specified  we  have  a rich  list  of 
names,  which  is  enlarged  by  the  required  naming  of  the  mother,  more  rarely 
the  father  of  the  client.1  In  the  Rabbinic  texts  we  find  the  Aramaic  names 


1 Shabb.  66b : XQ'Xn  xot?2  '3*'3I3  ^3:  “all  repetitive  incantations  are  in  name  of  the 
mother.”  The  “sacred”  name  of  a person  includes  that  of  his  mother  with  the 
Mandaeans  (Brandt.  Mand.  Religion,  116).  The  same  rule  appears  in  the  Greek 
magic;  see  Wiinsch  Antike  Fluchtafeln  (Lietzmann’s  Kleine  Texte,  no.  20),  p.  9 for 
examples  and  literary  references.  The  practice  is  now  attributed  to  the  original 


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50 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


familiar  in  the  Talmud,  etc.,  Persian  names,  probably  more  frequent  than 
the  former,  and  but  few  typical  Jewish  names.  In  the  Syriac  and  Mandaic 
texts  the  names  are  by  a large  majority  Persian.2  My  texts  contain  one 
evidently  Greek  name,  NUfiDDX,  Astrobas,  and  a Christian  name,  Nino  m, 
Martyrofilia ; the  former  is  paralleled  in  a text  of  Lidzbarski’s  by  TVT)NO,L3, 
Timotheos,  the  latter  by  1L‘’yS  H'liy D,  ‘His-hope-in- Jesus’  in  a text  of 
Pognon’s.  Some  of  the  names  of  obscure  etymology  may  be  of  Indian 
origin;  cf.  the  frequent  name  Hinduitha., 

The  large  proportion  of  Persian  names  even  in  the  Rabbinic  texts 
might  lead  us  to  think  that  the  clients  were  non-Jewish.  The  argument 
is  somewhat  fallacious  as  the  Jews  by  no  means  stickled  for  their  native 
names,  in  fact  seem  to  have  adopted  foreign  names  with  great  avidity.3  And 
so  in  one  family  of  nine  souls  the  names  are  Persian,  and  only  one  son  bears 
a Jewish  name  (No.  12).  But  as  we  shall  have  reason  to  conclude  (§  15), 
the  magic  of  our  bowls  is  so  eclectic  that  even  a “Jewish”-Aramaic  text 
does  not  imply  a Jewish  exorcist,  nor  Jewish  clients.  We  have  to  think 
of  a clientele  partly  Jewish,  partly  non-Jewish,  to  which  the  religious 
affinities  of  the  magic  were  indifferent. 

But  the  power  of  the  charms  is  also  extended  beyond  the  actual  house 
and  its  inmates  so  as  to  include  the  whole  property  of  the  client.  Not  only 
are  house  and  mansion  detailed,  but  also  the  cattle  and  possessions  in 
general  ( tCOp ).  In  like  manner  Greek  phylacteries  provide  a general 
property  insurance,  e.  g.  that  the  demons  “shall  not  injure  or  approach 
N.  or  M.  or  his  house  or  his  vineyards  or  lands  or  cattle.”4 

matriarchal  condition  of  society  rather  than  to  the  elder  principle,  pater  incertus, 
mater  certa.  Naming  of  the  father  probably  occurs  where  the  mother  is  unknown; 
for  instances  see  to  10:  1. 

2 See  Glossary  B ; also  Pognon,  B,  p.  97. 

8 See  Zunz.  “Die  Namen  d.  Juden,”  in  his  Gesammelte  Abhandlungen,  ii. 

* Reitzenstein,  Poimandres,  294;  such  charms  are  frequent  in  the  Graeco-Italian 
exorcisms  published  by  Pradel,  in  Religionsgeschichtliche  Versuche  u.  V orarbeiten, 
iii,  no.  3.  For  amulets  worn  by  cattle,  see  Blau,  Das  altjiidische  Zauberwesen,  86. 


§ ii.  The;  Incantations. 


I have  discussed  in  § 8 the  particular  praxis  of  our  magic — the  inver- 
sion of  the  inscribed  bowl..  There  remain  for  consideration  many  details, 
for  elaborateness  is  characteristic  of  magic  and  even  in  our  comparatively 
simple  field  there  are  many  phenomena  which  are  suggestive  links  binding 
it  with  more  complicated  magical  science. 

Magic  consists  of  two  elements : the  physical  operation  or  praxis,  and 
the  incantation,  or  to  use  the  Egyptian  term,  “the  word  of  power.”1 2  They 
are  distinguished  in  the  Babylonian  as  the  epesu  “work”  (also  kikittu ’“),  and 
the  siptu,  words  which  appear  rubrically  in  the  magical  texts.  In  the  Greek 
the  terms  for  the  practice  are  xpayua , npa^ig,  xPdai\  for  the  incantation 
(Tepdf)  Uyogp  So  in  Latin  facere  is  the  word  for  the  operation,  and  it 
has  had  an  interesting  history  through  factura,  fattura,  feitigo  (Portuguese), 
into  fetich. 

The  same  distinction  and  similar  terms  are  found  in  our  magic.  The 
root  *ny,  “work,  serve”3  (late  Hebrew  ncy  (cf.  14:  1),  ntyyft)  is  used  of 
the  practice.4  It  is  the  common  root  also  for  the  service,  the  worship  of  the 
gods  in  West-Semitic,  and  this  fact  illustrates  the  parity,  often  equivalence 
of  religion  and  magic.  Hence  the  technical  terms  tony  (' ahada ),  Kimy 


1 Budge,  Egyptian  Magic,  26  f. 

la  E.  g.  in  the  Labartu  texts,  Myhrman,  ZA,  xvi,  141. 

2 For  the  first  two  words  see  indexes  in  Wessely’s  two  volumes  in  the  Denk- 
schriften;  for  xpeia  , Dieterich  Abraxas,  pp.  136,  160.  All  three  words  occur  close 
together  in  Dieterich’s  text  p.  204  f.  For  TeXeTp  (Dieterich,  p.  136)  = the  NnoSti'X 
of  our  texts,  see  § 12. 

8 Cf.  Latin,  colo,  cultus.  This  Hebrew-Aramaic  root  is  more  religious  than 
epesu,  etc.,  with  its  idea  of  service.  N.  b.  Arabic  mnra,  used  of  the  cult  at  Mecca, 
Wellhausen,  Skizzen,  iii,  163. 

4 A magical  connotation  of  this  root  may  exist  in  Is.  28:  2:  Pi'isj  imay  tayS 
imay  , where  the  divine  operation  is  contrasted  to  the  magic  arts  of  the  necromancers. 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


(‘ ubbadd) , NTiziy,  Ninyo  ( ma'bcidd) , occurring  frequently  in  the  bowls,  and 
in  such  expressions  as  xnay  soT3y  (9:  2),  and  min  T3yn  xnny.6 

The  spoken  Word  is  represented  by  xrra,  pGo , “words,”  etc.,  also 
technically  by  xmp,  once  xnpn  pp  na  16:  10,  = the  Greek  h unAiiaiq  (also 
K'rr/cnr  ) used  both  in  magic  arts  and  also  in  the  Christian  liturgy  (in 
baptism,  eucharist,  exorcisms),6  though  as  we  shall  see,  most  of  these 
words  came  to  be  regarded  as  part  of  black  magic  and  were  avoided  by 
our  exorcists.  The  incantation  as  written  is  called  a xnzrrD  and  by  the 
unique  word  dastabira ,7  and  also  a XD,  “mystery,”  3:  i.8 

A very  large  number  of  terms  is  used  to  express  different  practices 
and  nuances  of  magic,  but  most  of  them  only  in  the  lists  of  dreaded  black 
magic  (see  § 12),  and  hence  they  are  avoided  by  our  exorcists.6  The 
exorcist  gives  himself  none  of  the  technical  names,  e.  g.  from  the  roots 
e|L*’D,  T-’X  ; he  speaks  of  his  XTiny,  but  xnnyo  is  avoided.  His  adjuration 
is  a xn'DiD,  the  Babylonian  mamitu,  “ban  ” and  he  employs  the  correspond- 
ing verb  XJ'DID  ; a more  frequent  equivalent  is  ynty  , Afel.  Once  he  uses 
the  root  'iCX  : XOH  X2i.'’'X3  XJB'K'X,  2:  3.  But  his  favorite  terminology  for 
his  own  practice  is  derived  from  1DX,  “bind,”  exactly  equivalent  to  the 
Greek  Kara6eivt  Latin  dcfgere;  the  charm  is  an  XPD'X,  xniD'X  . Also  the 
synonymous  roots  are  used  less  frequently:  "nv,  i^P,  'ID'1,  non,  "ivo,  122,  inn. 
The  last  root  is  used  of  magical  practices  in  this  sense  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment,10 where  also  the  obscure  mnD2,  Eze.  13:  18,  is  probably  from  a 
Babylonian  root  of  like  import.11  In  the  Babylonian  the  “binding”  power 
of  magic  is  as  prominent  as  in  the  western  magic ; I cite  such  passages  as 

5 For  and  the  Syriac  use  see  Noldeke,  Z.  f.  d.  Keils.-f orsch.,  iii,  296,  and 

Frankel,  ZA,  ix,  308.  A frequent  attributive  is  p’pn. 

6 After  summing  up  the  various  terms  used  for  exorcism  FTeitmuller  concludes, 
in  his  “Ini  Namen  Jesu,”  p.  212:  “Der  Ausdruck  icar’  h$oxvv  ist  iTviKalelodai  to  ovo/ia. 
Our  word  »nnp  is  the  liturgical  equivalent  in  the  Syriac  for  epiklesis. 

7 See  32:  4,  and  Kent’s  discussion  in  JAOS,  19H.  359- 

8 The  original  use  of  this  word  (=  rcle-rj  ) appears  in  its  designation  of  black 
arts;  see  § 12. 

9 Cf.  the  modern  fine  distinctions  between  magic,  sorcery,  witchcraft,  etc. 

10  See  Davies,  Magic  Divination  and  Demonology,  55,  as  against  W.  R.  Smith’s 
view  in  Journ.  of  Philology,  xiv,  123. 

11  Friedr.  Delitzsch,  in  Baer  and  Delitzsch’  text,  p.  xiii. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


53 


the  Maklu- series  iv,  1.  9;  vii,  66,  in  which  this  idea  is  expressed  by  several 
synonymous  verbs. 

The  roots  ^03,  Pa.,  “annul,”  in , “prohibit,”  Din,  “be  in  taboo,”  Jint? 
“lay  under  ban,”12  frequently  appear.  Also  Dnn,  Peal  and  Pael,  is  frequent 
with  the  sense  of  sealing  the  demons  with  the  magic  word  or  device 
engraved  on  a seal — often  with  explicit  mention  of  Solomon’s  Seal ; hence 
the  reference  to  the  70  seals  of  Solomon  (Hyv.),  or  the  seal  of  the  house 
of  Enoch,  19:  17,  the  seals  of  the  angels  of  the  Most  High  (Hyv.).13  Our 
magicians  will  work  only  white  magic,  and  their  whole  effort  is  for  the 
NlTiDN,14  sains  of  their  clients.15  The  great  magician  Joshua  b.  Perahia  is 
an  N31  N'DX,  “great  healer,”  17:  12  = 34:  2.  In  this  prophylactic  nature 
of  the  magic,  our  texts  differ  favorably  from  the  western  Karadeo/ioi  and 
dcfixiones.  The  incantations  largely  consist  in  the  monotonous  repetitions 
of  these  equivalent  roots. 

As  to  the  praxis  of  our  magic  we  have  little  information  additional 
to  that  presented  in  § 8.16  From  Pognon’s  texts  we  learn  that  the  bowl 
was  a new  one  (B.  no.  24)  and  that  the  sorcerer  sat  upon  an  uncleft  rock, 
a survival  of  primitive  religion.17 

The  rude  figures  and  designs  which  can  hardly  be  said  to  adorn  the 
bowls  are  part  of  the  praxis.  They  come  down  from  the  earlier  and  more 
realistic  age  when  gods  and  demons  were  represented  by  simulacra  and 
in  this  wise  were  manipulated  so  as  to  do  the  sorcerer’s  will.18  Most  of  the 

12  Stiibe  explains  the  equivalent  ’HD'S’  in  his  text  as  denominative  from  IBIS' 
the  horn  of  excommunication. 

13  For  sealing  as  equivalent  to  placing  the  magical  name  on  the  object,  see  Heit- 
miiller,  op.  cit,  143,  249,  etc. 

14  The  charm  itself  is  called  an  sniDS. — Cf.  the  New  Testament  ouCeiv.  uurr/pta 
is  used  in  the  papyri,  e.  g.  Wessely,  xlii,  31,  1.  341. 

15  This  includes  their  defence,  smtso , and  supernatural  arming  stint  (cf.  “the 
panoply  of  God,”  Eph.  6:  13),  and  involves  the  breaking  of  counter  charms  and 
wiles  of  the  devils  : ipjt,  SIS',  "|ES,  *p3,  ^DB,  1UB,  IE'S  , etc. ; BBS’S,  “lay  a spirit”  ; S'BB,  etc. 
In  the  Talmud  IS’B  is  the  technical  opposite  to  IDS;  Blau,  op.  cit.,  15 7. 

16  In  No.  12  is  a bit  of  rubric  for  forming  a figure  of  an  angel;  see  the  com- 
mentary. And  probably  at  end  of  No.  13  occurs  an  aphrodisiac  recipe. 

” Cf.  the  unhewn  altar,  Ex.  20:  25,  and  for  the  primitive  aversion  to  iron,  see 
Elworthy,  The  Evil  Eye,  220  ff. 

18  Budge  describes  how  as  far  back  as  the  third  millennium  in  Egypt  pictures 
came  to  be  used  in  place  of  material  objects  in  the  magic  of  the  dead  (op.  cit.,  107). 


54 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


figures  represent  the  demons,  generally  as  bound  and  hobbled — i.  e. 

TDK  , etc.,  to  use  the  words  of  the  incantation.19  Especially  the  liliths  are 
so  represented,  e.  g.  No.  8,  but  also  there  are  masculine  figures  like  the 
military-looking  demon,  in  Persian  style,  of  No.  3.  Some  of  the  gruesome 
caterpillar-like  designs  are  intended  to  “raise  the  hair”  as  did  the  demons 
of  elder  Babylonia.20 

In  one  specimen,  No.  15,  the  figure  is  the  design  of  the  serpent  with 
its  tail  in  its  mouth.  This  is  surely  of  Egyptian  origin,  doubtless  through  a 
Hellenistic  medium.  Such  a figure  is  described  in  the  “Book  of  Apep,”  of 
Ptolemaic  compilation,'1  and  prescriptions  for  drawing  this  magical  figure 
are  found  in  the  Greek  papyri."  Very  common — so  in  the  Syriac  bowls — 
is  a circle  with  a cross  in  it ; or  the  circle  is  divided  into  segments  with  a 
cross  in  each.  These  signs  probably  represent  the  magical  seal.  There 
also  occur  rough  rectangular  figures  divided  into  compartments,  represent- 
ing the  walls  of  protection  which  magic  casts  about  the  client.23  Wessely 
gives  a facsimile  of  such  a magical  design  :24  a square  within  a square,  the 
former  being  divided  into  three  compartments;  I suppose  after  the  plan  of 
a double-walled  and  many-chambered  castle,  indicating  the  protective  char- 
acter of  the  charm. 

In  one  case,  no.  8835,  a cross-shaped  figure  may  represent  a dagger, 
and  so  indicate  one  of  the  magical  forms  of  defi.vio  or  fastening  down  of 
the  evil  spirits.25 


13  Cf.  the  operation  performed  on  the  figure  of  the  Labartu,  Myhrman,  op.  cit., 
150.  For  Palestine,  see  the  figurettes  found  in  the  Seleucidan  debris  of  Tell  Sanda- 
hannah,  in  Bliss  and  Macalister,  Excavations  in  Palestine,  154.  For  Egyptian  usage, 
e.  g.  Budge,  op.  cit.,  83. 

20  See  the  description  in  Myhrman,  p.  148;  also  the  seven  evil  Utukki,  Thompson, 
Devils,  tablet  16,  and  ii,  p.  149. 

21  Budge,  op.  cit.,  79,  83. 

22  Wessely,  xlii,  39  f.,  69.  The  like  design  appears  in  a bowl  depicted  by 
Hilprecht,  Explorations,  opposite  p.  447.  Within  the  circle  so  formed  are  a number 
of  magical  figures,  the  most  elaborate  that  appear  in  the  bowls.  The  specimen  is 
presumably  at  Constantinople. 

23  For  similar  sympathetic  magic  in  old  Babylonia,  see  Jastrow,  op.  cit.,  i,  303. 

24  Ibid.  64. 

25  Pauly-Wissowa,  Real-Encyc.,  “Defixio,”  col.  2373 ; Thompson,  Sent.  Magic, 
1 7.  For  modern  instances  of  this  kind  of  sorcery,  see  Elworthy,  The  Evil  Eye,  53. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


55 


In  No.  4 it  is  evidently  the  sorcerer  who  is  depicted,  waving  in  his 
hand  a magic  bough.  This  is  the  use  we  find  in  Babylonian  magic,  in 
which  a branch  of  the  datepalm  or  tamarisk  was  held  aloft  to  repel  the 
demons.29 

One  detail  of  universal  magic  appears  in  the  praxis  of  our  bowls : the 
assumption  of  a suitable  season  for  the  exorcism.  So  6 : 5 : “this  day  out 
of  all  months,  this  year  out  of  all  years’’ ; cf.  the  mutilated  (and  probably 
misunderstood)  form  of  this  formula  in  17:  1.  In  Wohlstein  2422  a day 
is  given:  “If  you  come  on  the  first  of  Nisan,  go  away,”  etc.  Nisan  1 was 
an  auspicious  day  for  expelling  demons;27  this  was  probably  due  to  the 
belief  that  the  great  turning  points  of  the  year,  the  solstices  and  equinoxes 
were  times  of  supernatural  determinations  of  human  fate,  when  responsive 
action  on  the  part  of  man  was  especially  effective ; in  the  Babylonian 
calendar  Nisan  1 was  the  day  of  Destinies,  the  Jewish  New  Year’s  day  in 
Tishri  has  the  same  character,  and  compare  the  magic  time  of  midsummer 
night  and  the  Christmas  season  in  more  modern  superstition.28  In  old 
Babylonia  certain  days  were  propitious  for  exorcism,  and  they  are  listed, 
as  personified,  in  a Surpu  text,  among  them  the  7th,  15th,  19th,  20th,  25th, 
30th,  of  the  month.29  We  have  fuller  information  of  this  notion  from  Egypt; 
papyri  are  preserved  giving  all  the  days  in  the  year  according  to  their 
character  as  propitious  or  unpropitious  for  magical  rites.30  The  same  use 
of  seasons  appears  in  the  Hellenistic  papyri,  those  continuators  of 
Egyptian  magic.  Among  the  numerous  passages  I note  the  following: 

kviavrovg  if  iviavrov , pijvag  if  fir/vciv,  r/uipag  it;  fgxepuv,  lopag  if  ijpuv,  opKtfu  TcavTaq  tov( 

25  Thompson,  Devils,  p.  xlix,  and  instances  pp.  23,  m,  197.  Compare  the 
religious  use  of  the  baregma,  a bunch  of  datepalm,  pomegranate  or  tamarisk,  in  the 
Persian  religion;  Spiegel,  Eranische  Alterthiimer,  iii,  571.  Thompson  in  his  note 
draws  attention  to  our  design. 

27  Wohlstein,  p.  399,  with  references. 

28  See  Carl  Schmidt,  Aberglaube  des  Mittelalters,  1884,  205  ff.  (on  Die  Tage- 
wahlerei) . 

29  Zimmern,  tablet  viii,  24  ff.  Cf.  the  exorcism  of  a demon  at  full  moon,  in 
L,ucian,  Philopseudes,  16. 

30  Budge,  op.  cit.,  224  ff. ; Gods  of  the  Egyptians,  ii,  c.  xix,  for  lists  of  the  deities 
of  times  and  seasons.  The  earliest  appearance  of  this  system  among  the  Jews  is 
the  angelic  calendar  system  in  Enoch,  82. 


56 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


datfiovat;  31  This  is  exactly  the  equivalent  of  the  passage  cited  above,  6:5:  NDV 
pn  KJTyi  pnhrpD  xin  xnm  'tiy  pnSa’O  pn  Nmn  'vv  jin^o'D  pn 
'3Y ']}  JinblS’D,  and  there  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt  that  we  have  here  the 
reminiscence  of  the  Hellenistic  formula.  So  again  in  the  papyri : iv  ttj 
ai/fiepov  )}pepa,  h tij  apn  bpa  32  At  least  the  later  magical  calendar  is  connected 
with  astrology;  one  Greek  exorcism  adjures  “by  the  God  who  has  the 
power  of  the  hour.”33  These  references  to  an  appropriate  magical  time  are 
in  our  texts  however  quite  conventional;  we  may  judge  that  no  horoscopes 
were  cast  by  our  sorcerers. 

But  the  praxis  is  a minor  part  of  the  bowl-magic.  In  this  it  differs 
from  the  Babylonian  in  which  the  praxis  was  primary,  the  texts  being 
illuminative  of  the  action.  The  reasons  for  this  shifting  of  the  center  of 
gravity  I shall  touch  upon  in  § 15.  In  the  bowls  the  incantation,  the  spell, 
is  almost  the  all  in  all.  It  consisted  in  the  utterance  or  writing  of  certain 
phrases,  words,  syllables,  which  possessed  in  themselves  a magic  power 
to  bind  equally  the  favorable  powers  and  the  demons.34  This  use  of  spells 
has  gone  so  far  that  magic  appears  to  have  divorced  itself  from  religion; 
the  inversion  of  the  bowl  and  the  monotonously  repeated  declaration  that 
the  demons  are  “bound,  sealed,  countersealed,  exorcised,  hobbled,  silenced,” 
etc.,  e.  g.  Nos.  2,  4,  is  in  itself  sufficient,  without  invocation  of,  or  reference 
to,  the  divine  powers. 

Generally  however  appears  the  formal  adjuration  of  Deity  or  of 
deities  and  other  favorable  genii,  the  invocation  of  their  name  securing 
their  assistance.35  This  may  be  specifically  the  Jewish  deity,  e.  g.  No.  14, 

31  Wessely,  xxxvi,  53,  1.  341  ff.  My  colleague  Professor  Heffern  sagaciously 
notes  the  illumination  thus  cast  upon  the  difficult  reference  in  Rev.  9:  15  to  the 
angels  appointed  for  an  hour,  day,  month,  year ; the  verse  is  reminiscent  of  magical 
phraseology.  Note  also  the  phrase,  “in  a good  hour  and  a good  and  auspicious 
day,”  in  the  Paris  Magical  Papyrus,  1.  3000  (given  by  Deissmann,  Light  from  the 
Ancient  East,  251,  255). 

33  Wessely,  xxxvi,  92,  1.  1932  ff.  = xlii,  42,  1.  665  ff.  N.  B.  the  like  stress  laid 
upon  “this  day”  in  the  Babylonian  exorcisms,  e.  g.  Surpti- series,  iv,  1.  65. 

33  Wiinsch,  Antike  Fluchtafeln,  no.  3,  1.  20. 

34  The  conscious  manipulation  of  words,  phrases,  pronunciations  to  extract  their 
magical  sense,  appears  in  9 : 5 = 32 : 6. 

35  Even  as  in  earlier  times  the  images  of  the  gods  were  used;  e.  g.  Fossey,  La 
magic  assyrienne,  315- — The  magical  value  of  the  use  of  the  name  in  religious  rites 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


57 


“in  thy  name  Yhwh”;  or  it  may  be  quite  indefinite  as  in  the  recurrent 
introductory  formula,  “In  thy  name,  O Lord  of  healings,  great  Healer  of 
love” ; the  same  form  also  appears  in  the  pagan  text  No.  19.  I discuss 
under  No.  3 the  origin  of  the  phrase. 

There  is  nothing  new  in  the  adjuration  of  many  angels36  or  deities 
along  with  the  appeal  to  some  one  Name;37  the  former  is  the  Jewish  phase 
of  polytheism,  while  even  with  polytheistic  adjurations  there  may  be 
recognition  of  “God,”  as  in  the  pagan  text  No.  19  with  its  reference  to  “the 
one  true  God,”  1.  17.  Noticeable  is  the  easy  passage  from  the  invocation 
of  celestial  beings  into  that  of  mere  names  or  words ; but  this  illustrates 
the  arrant  nominalism  into  which  magic  had  fallen,  losing  the  religious 
phase  of  divine  personality.  So  Abraxas  is  invoked — though  probably  here 
we  have  a very  ancient  divine  name,  inherited  from  Egypt.38  Of  this  “the 
holy  Agrabis”  may  be  a perversion,  14:  2.  In  7 : 9,  as  noted  in  § 9,  “the 
Great  Abbahu”  may  be  a magically  deified  sorcerer.39  Many  of  the  odd 
names  which  are  invoked  may  be  kabbalistic  (gematriac,  etc.)  names  of 
angels  or  gods  (see  § 13).  They  may  soon  have  worn  down  into  unintel- 
ligible words — just  as  A fraf-ag  = 365  becomes  D,3'Qt*  (and  other  forms) 
without  reminiscence  of  the  numerical  value  of  the  letters.40  We  have  the 


has  been  established  in  late  years  by  a series  of  discussions  from  scholars  working 
in  various  fields.  I name:  K.  Nyrop,  Navnets  magt  (“the  power  of  the  name”), 
1887,  noted  and  analyzed  by  Giesebrecht  (see  below)  ; F.  v.  Andrian  in  Corre- 
spondensblatt  d.  deutsch.  GeseUschaft  f.  Antliropologie,  Ethnologie  u.  Urgeschichte, 
xxvii  (1896),  109-127;  F.  Giesebrecht,  Die  alttestamentliche  Schdtzung  des  Gottes- 
namens  u.  ihre  religionsgeschichtliche  Grundlage,  Konigsberg,  1901 ; W.  Ffeitmiiller, 
‘In  Nainen  Jesu’  Gottingen,  1903  (especially  Part  II).  Cf.  also,  on  the  use  of  the 
name,  Jacob,  "Im  Nainen  Gottes,”  Vierteljahrsschrift  f.  Bibelkunde , i (1903),  Heft 
1 seq.  (which  I have  not  seen  in  full)  ; J.  Boehmer,  Das  biblische  ‘Im  Nainen,’ 
Giessen,  1898.  (on  the  philological  origins  of  the  baptism  formula)  ; and  an  essay 
by  W.  Brandt,  “"Ovo/ua  en  de  doopsformule  in  het  nieuwe  testament,”  Theol.  Tijd- 
schrift,  1891. 

38  For  the  adjuration  of  angels  in  Judaism,  see  Heittnuller,  op.  cit.,  176  ff. 

37  See  § 13. 

38  According  to  Budge,  Egyptian  Magic,  180,  originally  the  name  of  a form  of 
the  sungod ; according  to  Wiedemann,  Magie  u.  Zauberei  ( D . Alte  Orient,  vii,  4),  p. 
23,  the  Egyptians  from  of  old  worshipped  as  god  “the  Magical  Formula.” 

39  Cf.  the  early  and  frequent  use  of  the  name  Jesus  in  the  papyri  magic;  and  cf. 
Acts  19:  13.  For  Jesus  as  a sorcerer  in  the  Talmud,  see  Blau.  op.  cit.  29. 

40  See  Pognon,  Inscr.  maud.,  107.  In  34:  19  he  is  “mighty  lord.” 


t 


58 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


same  unintelligent  invocation  of  names  in  the  magical  papyri,  e.  g.  the 
exorcism  “in  the  name  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Jesus  Chrestos,  Holy 
Spirit.”41  This  is  not  Jewish  magic,  any  more  than  we  can  say  that  the 
erotic  charm  from  Hadrumetum  is  Jewish  in  its  present  form  with  its 
barbarous  spellings  for  the  patriarchs:  Ajipaav,  lanov,  lapaap*2  These  are 
specimens  of  eclectic  magic  with  pagan  and  Jewish  elements,  overlaid 
with  Christian.43  It  is  in  this  eclectic  character  of  our  texts,  as  in  all  so- 
called  Jewish  magic,  that  they  part  company  from  the  old  Babylonian  magic 
and  relate  themselves  to  occidental  conjuration. 

The  invocation  of  angelic  names  in  Jewish  magic  may  be  regarded  as 
in  part  the  parallel  to  the  pagan  invocation  of  many  deities,  and  in  part 
as  invocation  of  the  infinite  (personified)  phases  and  energies  of  the  one 
God.44  Both  Jewish  and  pagan  magic  agreed  in  requiring  the  accumulation 
of  as  many  names  of  the  deity  or  demon  as  possible,  for  fear  lest  no  one 
name  exhaust  the  potentiality  of  the  spiritual  being  conjured.  The  aggre- 
gation of  divine  epithets  in  the  Old  Testament,  as  also  in  the  Christian 
liturgy,  goes  back  to  the  root-idea  of  the  efficiency  of  a knowledge  of  all 
the  names  if  possible;  the  fifty  names  of  Marduk,  the  hundred  names  of 
Allah,  are  similar  cases.  In  the  Babylonian  magic45  and  also  in  the 
Egyptian40  this  practice  was  established.  For  Hellenic  magic  may  be  cited 
the  many  names  of  Hekate,  the  Myoi  ena-haor. ,47  In  this  accumulation 


41  Wessely,  xxxvi,  75,  1.  1227.  Cf.  the  list  of  invocations  in  a “Christian”  amulet : 
Adonai,  Thodonael  (=  Toth  -f-  Adonael),  Sabaoth,  Emanuel,  the  holy  angels,  etc. 
(Reitzenstein,  Poimandres,  293). 

42  For  the  text  and  literature  see  to  No.  28. 

43  I suppose  the  formula  read  originally : “in  the  name  of  the  God  of  Abraham,” 
etc.  See  Heitmiiller,  op.  cit.,  p.  180  for  the  invocation  of  the  patriarchs,  etc.  Origen 
(c.  Cels,  iv,  35)  appears  to  admit  its  efficacy. 

44  Cf.  the  Gaonic  maxim  that  there  are  many  things  in  which  the  angels  are 
independent  of  God,  Blau,  op.  cit.,  92;  with  which  contrast  the  notion  of  the  ephe- 
meral existence  of  the  angels  who  proceed  from  the  Dinur  of  God;  Weber,  Jud. 
Theologie,  166,  Eisentnenger,  Bntdecktes  Judenthum,  ii,  371 — all  but  Michael  and 
Gabriel  according  to  a dictum  of  Bereshith  R.  (Lueken,  Michael,  39)-  For  the 
equivalent  efficiency  of  divine  and  angelic  names  see  the  magical  text,  The  Sword  of 
Moses,  published  by  Gaster,  1896. 

45  Jastrow,  Religion  Babyloniens  u.  Assyriens,  i,  291. 

48  Budge,  op.  cit.,  171. 

47  Wiinsch.  Ant.  Fluchtafeln,  6. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


59 


of  divine  names  there  lurks  the  uncertainty  whether  they  are  names  of 
one  being,  or,  as  so  many  potencies,  names  of  as  many  beings.  This  con- 
fusion appears  in  the  parallel  texts  under  No.  n,  where  the  second 
(Myhrman’s  text)  turns  the  three  names  of  the  Jewish  God  in  the  first 
into  a polytheistic  trinity.  But  except  in  the  case  of  accumulated  magical 
syllables,  the  “barbarous  names”  of  Greek  magic,  the  Deity  is  not  in  our 
texts  given  many  names ; this  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  reference  to  the 
Deity  is  not  much  more  than  a passing  compliment.  However  the  names 
of  the  demons  must  be  exactly  known,  and  especially  is  it  the  Lilith  who 
receives  an  extravagant  accumulation  of  designations ; she  is  akin  to  ITekate 
and  the  “Hekatian  names”  are  showered  upon  her.  For  the  demoniac 
names  I refer  to  § 12. 

The  use  of  so-called  kabbalistic  names — letters,48  syllables,  phrases — 
as  potent  charms,  may  next  claim  our  attention.  The  roots  of  this  usage 
are  many,  and  the  origin  or  etymology  of  specific  cases  mostly  defy 
explanation.  The  practice  is  rare  in  Babylonian  magic,49  but  is  common 
in  the  sorcery  of  ancient  Egypt011  and  in  its  lineal  descendant  the  Hellenistic 
magic,61  and  hence  it  was  reflected  to  the  Jewish  sorcery,  the  Talmud 
abundantly  illustrating  the  use  of  these  barbarica  onomata One  primitive 
source  of  this  usage  is  the  mystery  which  is  thrown  about  magic  rites;  “the 
wizards  that  squeak  and  gibber”  (Is.  8:  19)  are  universal;  the  Babylonian 
priest  generally  whispered  his  formulas  (cf.  the  title  masmasu ) ; the  solemn 
parts  of  Christian  rites  have  likewise  tended  to  inaudible  pronounciation. 
There  exists  a tendency  toward  intentional  obscuration  of  the  formulae, 
which  by  psychological  necessity  would  tend  to  even  greater  corruption. 
But  magic  is  in  its  purpose  a scientific  exercise,  and  we  must  suppose  that 
in  general  something  intelligible  was  once  expressed  by  the  now  unintelligi- 

48  For  the  mysticism  connected  with  letters  see  Dieterich’s  interesting  discussion, 
Rhein.  Mas.,  lvi,  77,  “ABC — Denkmaler.” 

45  A case  in  Myhrman,  ZA,  xvi,  188  (cf.  Jastrow,  i,  339),  for  the  text  of  which 
see  15:  4. 

30  Budge,  op.  cit.,  c.  5,  e.  g.  p.  172. 

51  See  Heitmiiller,  op.  cit.  197  ff. ; Abt,  Apuleius,  152.  For  the  Ephesia  grammata, 
see  Kuhnert,  in  Pauly-Wissowa,  j.  v.  (the  papers  of  Welcker  in  his  Kleine 
Schriften,  iii,  and  of  Wessely  in  Program  of  the  Franz  Joseph  Gymn.,  Vienna,  1886, 
I have  not  seen). 

52  Blau,  op.  cit.,  61  f . ; Griinbaum,  ZDMG,  xxxi,  269  f. 


60 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYRONIAN  SECTION. 


ble  term.  Much  of  the  later  nonsense  was  the  survival  of  phrases  of  the 
lost  tongue  in  which  the  charms  had  their  rise.53  Such  a part  may  have 
been  played  by  Sumerian  phrases  in  later  Babylonia,  and  the  great  western 
sorcerer  Apuleius  recognizes  the  origins  of  his  magical  lingo  as  magica 
nomina  Aegyptio  vel  Babyloniaco  ritnf*  and  the  Hellenistic  sorcerer  is 
said  to  aiyvTCTia&iv. 

Some  of  the  phrases  are  still  intelligible,  such  as  L*’in,  “quick”  (off  with 
you),  with  abundant  parallels  in  the  Babylonian  and  the  Greek  magic  (the 
repeated  ra\v ) G also  brief  imperatives,  as  yt,  nr,  or  nr,  from  yyl,  etc., 
“fly  away.”  But  the  great  majority  of  the  forms  are  unintelligible.  It  is 
to  be  observed  that  raucous  sounds,  e.  g.  ]‘p  ( has ) and  especially  sibilants 
are  very  frequent;  in  Pognon’s  texts  & (sh)  is  often  inserted  between 
words.5"  May  we  compare  the  hissing  implied  by  the  ancient  Hebrew 
sorcery  terms,  KTP  and  C’ru  ? 

Many  such  syllables  or  letters  are  surrogates  for  the  divine  name  mn\ 
which  especially  lent  itself  to  this  treatment.”  So  we  find  the  changes  rung 
on  this  word:  n\  nr,  in\  nynx,  etc.  Or  abbreviations  are  used  like 
the  repeated  X,  = D'rkx  ?x  UTX;58  in  20:  2 it  is  extravagantly  repeated  six 
times,  in  31  : 8 eight  times.  In  irrrx\  31:6,  we  have  a play  on  the  three 
vowels  as  in  Greek  magic. 

Then  there  enters  in  the  use  of  the  principle  of  Athbash,  in  all  its 
various  forms,  e.  g.  (Stiibe,  1.  66)  = Him . Such  prima  facie 

unintelligible  forms  themselves  became  corrupted  in  course  of  time ; perhaps 
MS  MS,  PS  PS,  14:  2,  are  from  the  former  theme.  Probably  too  the 

53  See  Deissmann’s  remarks  on  the  distinction  between  hocus-pocus  and  survivals 
of  Egyptian  and  Babylonian  magic  in  the  vocabulary  of  the  papyri:  Bibelstudien,  1 ff. 

54  Abt,  Apuleius,  152. 

55  See  to  14:  4. 

56  In  our  texts  cf.  1:  13,  3:  5,  14:  2,  25:  5,  29:  10. 

57  For  extensive  magical  formulas  based  on  the  Name,  see  Nos.  3,  6,  31,  35.  I 
give  a list  of  these  terms  at  the  end  of  Glossary  A. 

58  Cf.  the  introduction  to  Schwab’s  Dictionnaire  d'angelologie ; Blau,  op.  cit.,  117-146. 
Against  Jewish  orthodox  use,  our  texts  do  not  hesitate  to  write  mn»;  cf.  the  Samar- 
itan usage.  In  one  case  it  is  vocalized  in  a proper  name,  n’cn'S'ic,  36:  4,  q.  v.  The 
reminiscence  of  the  ancient  pronunciation  survived  in  the  lower  classes  and  certain 
sects,  e.  g.  among  the  Samaritans,  and  in  magic,  cf.  the  forms  I afc,  etc. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


61 


principle  of  (mathematical)  gematria  may  be  supposed,59  of  old  standing 
in  Judaism,60  but  also  found  in  the  theosophy  and  current  use  of  the 
Greeks.01  The  passage  in  9 : 5 f.  which  speaks  of  “letter  out  of  letters, 
name  out  of  names,  interpretation  out  of  interpretation,”  doubtless  refers 
to  the  abstraction  of  such  hidden  meanings  and  values  out  of  words. 

In  one  case,  15:  4 f.,  occurs  a rhyming  “nonsense”  couplet  used  with 
magical  intention.  For  this  as  noticed  to  the  passage  there  is  one  example 
in  the  Assyrian  magic.  Assonance  of  succeeding  words  is  found,  e.  g. 
35:  5. 02  Both  assonance  and  rhyme  are  found  in  the  western  magic;  e.  g. 
ad  am  alam  betur  alam  botum and 

Ofi&u  flavpla)  vor/pe  nofitjpe 

dvar/pe  avpe  avpoe  iravKior//  6uSeKaKnsr7/.ei 

Rhyme  appears  in  the  lines : 

tovto  ypaipe  : elf65  0 vpurfk, 

M lxo.t]7v  Taftpii]^,  0 
Mioar/%,  ’ Ippat/X , ’Ivrpar/X.66 

I do  not  find  much  proof  of  intentional  misspelling;  most  of  the 
apparent  cases  are  cleared  up  on  inspection  of  the  text.  In  fact  a good 
deal  of  care  is  exercised  in  this  regard  (n.  b.  a case  in  4:4),  and  erroneous 
letters  or  words  are  often  erased  or  repeated  correctly ; in  form  most  of 
the  texts  compare  favorably  with  the  magical  papyri. 


50  Schwab,  I ; a case  in  No.  42. 

60  Found  by  ancient  tradition  in  Eliezer  = 318;  cf.  Gen.  15:  2 and  14:  14. 

01  Deissmann,  Light  from  the  Ancient  East,  275;  Wunsch,  op.  cit.,  23. 

62  The  Talmudic  shabriri  briri  riri  ri  is  different  in  character;  the  gradual 
peeling  off  of  the  word  finally  destroys  the  demon. 

03  See  Wessely,  xlii,  13,  from  Marcellus,  xxviii,  72. 

04  Wessely,  xlii,  45,  1.  747,  = 1.  964. 

6d  This  identification  of  the  angels  recalls  the  assimilation  of  the  gods  in  the 
famous  Babylonian  passage;  “Ninib  the  Marduk  of  strength,  Nergal  the  Marduk  of 
battles,”  and  similar  astrological  identifications;  see  A.  Jeremias,  Monotheistische 
Stromiingen,  26. 

00  Wessely,  xxxvi,  90,  1.  1814  ff.  For  assonance  and  rhyme  in  Greek  magic,  see 
Heim,  in  Fleckeisen’s  Jahrbiicher  f.  classische  Philologie,  Supplementband  xix  (1903), 
544  ff. ; M.  C.  Sutphen,  “Magic  in  Theokritos  and  Vergil,”  in  the  Studies  in  Honor 
of  B.  L.  Gildersleeve  (Baltimore,  1902),  318;  Abt,  Apologie  d.  Apuleius,  154.  For 
similar  cases  in  our  texts  see  19:  18,  25:  5,  33:  5. 


G2 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


An  important  part  of  the  Word  of  Power  in  developed  magic  is  the 
use  of  sacred  scriptures,  the  epics,  legends  of  the  people,  and  the  citation 
of  appropriate  precedents.  Babylonian.  Egyptian,  Jew,  Greek,  each  had 
his  thesaurus  of  sacred  legend,  which  age  had  consecrated  as  veritable 
words  of  Deity  and  hence  in  themselves  potent."7  These  are  “the  ancient 
runes,”  N'tnp  XTC\  of  32:  9.“ 

Early  house  amulets  have  been  found  in  Assyria  inscribed  with 
quotations  from  the  legend  of  Ura  the  pest-god  ;69  and  there  are  other  traces 
of  the  use  of  epic  myth  in  the  Babylonian  magic.70  In  the  same  way  that 
portion  of  the  Book  of  the  Dead  known  as  “The  Chapters  of  the  Coming 
Forth  of  the  Day,”  largely  consisting  of  myth,  and  the  Legend  of  Ra  and 
Isis,  were  used  in  Egypt  as  magical  texts.71  In  the  Greek  magic  we  have 
the  prophylactic  and  divinatory  use  of  the  Homeric  verses.72  Nor  were 
the  Jews  behind  their  neighbors,  with  their  fast  fixed  canon  of  sacred 
scripture.  The  book  of  Deuteronomy  ordered  or  at  least  suggested  the 
use  of  the  weightiest  “word”  in  the  scriptures,  the  Shema,  as  a phylactery 
to  be  inscribed  on  the  hands  and  between  the  eyes  (in  place  of  totemistic 
tattoo-marks)73  and  on  the  sideposts  and  gates  of  the  house  (where  earlier 
prophylactic  amulets  like  the  Babylonian  had  hung).  Or  certain  passages 
appeared  palpably  appropriate,  just  as  the  Ura-legend  was  used  as  a pro- 
phylactic ; so  Ps.  91,  especially  v.  5 f. ; or  the  divine  scolding  of  the  evil 
spirit,  “Yhwh  rebuke  thee,  Satan,”  in  Zcch.  3:2.  A few  of  the  bowls 
published  by  Schwab,  G (exterior),74  H,  K,  O,  are  mostly  or  largely 

67  Cf.  Is.  55:  11. 

68  For  'V,  cf.  £7ra<5 at,  carmina,  incantamenta,  etc.  of  occidental  magic.  Cf.  the 
use  of  the  same  root  in  Arabic;  'C  in  Ju.  5:  12  has  this  sense. 

68  King,  ZA,  xi,  50;  Fossey,  op.  cit.,  105;  Jastrow,  op.  cit.  i,  285;  Thompson,  Sent. 
Magic,  83. 

70  Jastrow,  op.  cit.,  i,  363. 

71  Budge,  op.  cit.  125,  137,  and  p.  141  for  remarks  on  this  magic. 

75  See  Heim,  “Incantamenta  magica  graeca  latina,”  in  Fleckeisen’s  Jahrbiicher, 
as  in  n.  66  and  Wessely,  xlii,  2 ft. 

73  Cf.  Eze.  9:  4,  Is.  44:  5,  Gal.  6:  17,  Rev.  13:  16  f.,  etc.  The  practice  was  con- 
tinued into  Talmudic  times,  Sabb.  120b,  etc.;  see  Blau,  op.  cit.,  119. 


74  PSBA,  xii,  327. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


63 


composed  of  scripture  verses.75  We  find  in  them  the  Aaronic  blessing, 
Num.  6:  24  ff.,  Is.  44:  25,  Cant.  3:  7;  K contains  the  whole  of  Ps.  121, 
Bx.  22:  18,  Cant.  3 : 7 f.,  Ps.  16:  1,  17:  8,  32 : 7.  O is  an  amalgam  of  Dt. 
6:  4 and  Ps.  91,  with  the  first  word  of  the  former  followed  by  the  first  of 
the  latter,  etc.  G reads  Dt.  29 : 22  and  then  reverses  the  order  of  the 
words.76  But  these  genuinely  Jewish  effusions  are  exceptional,  and  may  be 
comparatively  late.  The  Nippur  bowls  are  marked  by  their  lack  of 
scriptural  quotation  and  reference.  Very  frequent  is  “The  Lord  rebuke 
thee,  Satan,”77  at  the  end  of  the  inscription.  No.  26  opens  with  the  first 
words  of  the  Shema,  followed  by  Num.  9:  23  and  Zccli.  3:  2.  Num.  9:  23 
is  of  value  as  containing  the  root  IOC,  a frequent  and  potent  theme  in 
Jewish  magic.  Biblical  and  of  good  magical  tradition  is  the  use  of  Amen 
(generally  twice  or  thrice  repeated),  Selah,78  Halleluia.  These  are  also 
used  in  Talmudic  charms,  e.  g.  Yoma  84a:  “kanti,  kanti,  kaloros,  Yah,  Yah, 
Yhwh,  Sabaoth,  Amen,  Amen,  Selah.”  The  magical  Halleluia  recalls  the 
probable  use  of  Hallel-like  forms  in  incantations.79  These  Jewish  terms 
are  not  found  in  the  Mandaic  texts,  in  which  the  sectarian  doxology,  “Life 
is  victorious”  replaces  them.  In  the  Greek  papyri  apnv  and  aWekovia  are 
frequent,80  and  we  have  a case  of  syncretism  such  as  this : <pof}r/devTa  to  xai 

to  aXXeJov'ta  Kal  to  evayycPuov.81 

But  this  use  of  scripture  is  not  such  as  we  should  expect  to  find  from 
any  Jew  even  moderately  versed  in  the  Old  Testament.  The  spelling  is 


75  For  biblical  verses  of  prophylactic  power  approved  by  the  Talmud,  see  Blau, 
op.  cit.,  70  f.,  93  f.,  and  his  article  “Amulets,”  in  Jewish  Encyc.;  also  Kayser,  “Gebrauch 
von  Psalmen  zu  Zauberei,”  ZDMG,  xlii,  456,  presenting  a Syriac  MS.  containing 
the  Psalm  verses  useful  in  magic  and  divination.  For  the  use  of  Psalms  (especially 
Ps.  91)  in  the  late  Italian  magic,  see  Pradel,  Griechische  u.  siiditalienische  Gebete,  69. 

76  On  this  practice  in  Jewish  magic,  called  see  Blau,  op.  cit.,  85;  the  practice 

reversed  the  hostile  charm.  With  the  attempt  at  disguising  the  plain  meaning,  cf. 
the  intentional  confusion  of  lines  in  a Greek  defixio,  published  in  Wiinsch,  Antike 
Fluchtafeln,  no.  4. 

77  A formula  recommended  in  the  Talmud,  Bcrak.  5a. 

78  This  magical  use  of  Selah  is  not,  I think,  noticed  in  the  several  modern  studies 
of  the  word.  It  appears  also  as  2,aJa  on  an  Abraxas  gem,  Diet,  d’archeologie 
chretienne,  i,  144. 

79  Cf.  Blau,  op.  cit.,  94  f. 

80  E.  g.,  both  together,  Wessely,  xlii,  28,  1.  279. 

81  lb.  66,  1.  31. 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


not  Massoretic,  the  quotations  are  not  exact.82  There  are  but  two  references 
to  the  supreme  history  of  the  Exodus,  14:  2,  34:  4,  and  the  latter  is 
confused.  In  the  Greek  papyri  there  is  far  more  citation  of  the  sacred 
history;  cf.  the  “Jewish"  text  of  the  Great  Magical  Papyrus  at  Paris,  pub- 
lished most  recently  by  Deissmann.83  This  contains  a brief  summary  of 
God’s  great  acts  for  Israel,  although  the  crossing  of  the  Jordan  precedes 
the  passage  of  the  Red  Sea.84  The  “Judaism”  of  our  bowls  is  often  less 
than  that  of  the  papyri.85 

There  are  several  references  to  ancient  myth  and  apocrypha,  especially 
in  the  citation  of  great  spells.  So  2 : 4,  “the  spell  of  the  sea  and  the  spell 
of  the  monster  Leviathan” ; 1.  6,  “the  curse,  etc.,  which  fell  on  Mt.  Hermon, 
Leviathan,  Sodom,  Gomorra” ; 4 : 4,  “the  seal  with  which  were  charmed 
the  Seven  Stars  and  the  Seven  Signs”;  10:  3,  5,  “the  seal  with  which  the 
First  Adam  sealed  his  son  Seth,”  or  “with  which  Noah  sealed  the  ark”;80 
also  see  34 : 4 f. 

All  sacred  and  legendary  history  is  a series  of  spells,  just  as  the 
Babylonian  epic  literature  is  magically  used,  Ea  or  Marduk  appearing  as 
the  high  priest  of  exorcism.  So  also  in  Egypt  the  epic  of  the  gods  gives 
assurance  of  present  magical  help.  “My  two  hands  lie  upon  this  child,  the 
two  hands  of  Isis  lie  upon  him,  even  as  Isis  laid  her  two  hands  upon  her 
son  Horus.”.  “O  Isis,  save  me  ....  even  as  thou  didst  save  thy  son 
Horns. ”8T  And  so  in  the  Greek  papyri  the  adjuration  is  often  by  the  won- 
derful works  of  the  God  of  Israel,  which  are  regarded  as  spells;  see  the 
great  Magical  Papyrus. 


83  I cannot  agree  with  Blau,  p.  no,  that  this  paraphrasing  and  variation  in 
scriptural  quotation  was  intentional ; magic  which  perpetuated  the  pronunciation  of 
the  Great  Name  would  not  have  hesitated  at  using  the  exact  words  of  scripture. 
The  quotations  have  often  come  through  eclectic  mediums. 

8S. Light  from  the  Ancient  East , 250  ff. 

84  Cf.  the  Talmudic  charm  against  the  toothache,  Sabb.  67a,  in  which  portions 
of  the  pericope  of  the  Bush  were  recited ; Blau,  op.  cit.,  69. 

85  “Man  kann  den  Aberglauben  der  Kaiserzeit  nicht  in  die  verschiedenen 

Kategorieen  heidnisch  jiidisch  mid  christlich  einteilen Der  Aberglaube  ist 

seiner  Natur  nach  synkretistisch” ; Deissmann,  Bibelstudien,  25. 

85  Cf.  “the  seal  which  Solomon  laid  on  the  tongue  of  Jeremia,”  in  the  great 
Magical  Papyrus,  1.  3039,  Deissmann,  Light,  p.  257;  which  has  its  parallel  in  the  charm 
with  which  Enoch’s  brothers  charmed  him,  3 : 4. 

87  Wiedemann,  Magie  11.  Zauberei  bei  den  alien  Aegyptern,  1905,  22,  26. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


65 


In  this  connection  may  be  noted  a few  passages  which  appear  to  be 
derived  from  apocryphal  or  kabbalistic  literature,  fragments  snatched  to 
decorate  the  lean  skeleton  of  incantation.  E.  g.  8:  13:  “holy  angels,  hosts 
of  light  in  the  spheres,  the  chariots  of  El-Panim  before  Him  standing,  the 
beasts  worshipping  in  the  fire  of  His  throne  and  in  the  water,  the  cohorts 
of  I-am-that-I-am” ; 14:  3:  “I  adjure  you  by  Him  who  lodged  His  Shekina 
in  the  temple  of  light  and  hail”;  or  the  poetic  description  of  the  angels  in 
1 2:  7:  “They  are  filled  with  glory  who  endure  and  keep  pure  since  the 
days  of  eternity,  and  their  feet  are  not  seen  in  the  dances  by  the  world, 
and  they  sit  and  stand  in  their  place,  blowing  like  the  blast,  lightening  like 
the  lightning.” — beneficent  Annunaki ! These  passages,  reminiscent  both 
of  the  Apocalypse  and  the  later  kabbalistic  literature,  are  recited  with 
magical  intent.83  An  important  part  of  magic  was  the  epic  of  the  god 
and  the  praise  of  his  glory;  compare  the  insertion  of  the  Hermetic  Koo/ionoua 
in  the  Leyden  magical  papyrus,89  and  the  epic  of  the  attack  of  the  rebel 
spirits  against  the  gods  in  the  16th  tablet  of  the  Utukku  series.  The  story 
of  the  god’s  power  or  the  praise  of  his  glory  were  “words  of  power”  against 
the  fiends.90 

There  is  a dreary  monotony  in  these  texts,  yet  much  variation  of 
details.  After  possibly  an  invocation,  comes  the  name  of  the  client  and 
family,  and  then  the  categories  of  detested  demons  and  ills.  Then  follow 
the  various  Names  in  which  the  spells  are  invoked.  Noticeable  is  the 
frequent  repetition  of  the  same  form,  even  three  or  more  times  (e.  g.  No. 
3).  This  insipid  use  has  its  parallel  in  the  KaraSetr/ioi ; cf.  the  examples  in 
Wiinsch.  op.  cit.,  nos.  3,  4,  5,  where  with  slight  changes  the  exorcism  is 
repeated  at  least  three  times.  Multiplication  increased  the  efficiency  of 
the  charm;  it  is  the  (Sa-Toloyia  of  the  Gentiles  ( Mt . 6:7).  But  the  relig- 

88  Cf.  the  amulet  in  Reitzenstein,  Poimandres,  294,  where  the  ranks  of  the 
celestial  hierarchy  are  enumerated  as  standing  by  the  great  and  lofty  Deity. 

88  Dieterich,  Abraxas,  182.  Herodotus  notices  the  use  of  a theogony  or  divine 
history  in  the  incantation  of  a magus  (i,  132)  ; see  in  general  Conybeare,  JQR  ix,  93  f. 

90  Cf.  Fossey,  op.  cit.,  96;  and  for  the  western  magic,  Wiinsch,  op.  cit.,  13. 
Scriptural  and  legendary  narratives  are  found  in  the  Syriac  charms  published  by 
Gollancz,  Actes  dn  11  cme  Congres  International  des  Orientalist es,  1887,  sect,  iv,  77. 
Cf.  also  the  similar  Syriac  charms  published  by  W.  FI.  Hazard  in  JAOS,  xv  (1893), 
284  ff. 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


ious  imaginativeness  and  poetic  invention  of  the  ancient  Babylonian  and 
Egyptian  magic  has  disappeared.  The  spell,  the  iepk  Aoyof  has  suffered 
its  rcductio  ad  absurdum,  personality  human  and  divine  is  thrown  out  of 
doors. 


§ 12.  The  Objects  of  Exorcism;  the  Demons,  Etc. 


The  magic  of  the  bowls  is  of  too  late  an  age  to  require  here  a 
dissertation  on  the  rise  and  spread  of  the  belief  in  evil  spirits.  Our  sorcery 
is  fin  de  siccle.  When  the  old-world  religions  began  to  decay,  and  the 
gods  that  once  were  near  to  men  disappeared  in  the  political  convulsions 
which  marked  the  passing  of  ancient  tribe  or  city  and  the  domination  of 
a world-empire,  or  suffered  under  the  strokes  of  philosophy  and  skepticism, 
the  spirits  of  ill  were  not  banished,  and  the  superstition  that  feeds  on  the 
fears  of  men,  came  to  occupy  the  center  of  the  stage  of  the  spiritual  drama. 
Nor  did  the  rise  of  the  great  spiritual  religions  counteract  the  tremendous 
development  of  the  superstition  concerning  the  powers  of  evil,  for  they 
did  not  deny  them,  but  recognized  their  existence,  often  regarded  themselves 
in  the  negative  light  of  prophylactics  and  antidotes  against  the  great  out- 
standing fact  of  evil  agencies.  The  Persian  faith  was  boldly  dualistic  and 
magical  in  its  rites  for  overcoming  the  powers  of  ill.  Jewish  monotheism 
was  too  tense,  and  the  cardinal  doctrine  of  the  one  God  was  saved  by  that 
unfortunate,  though  possibly  necessary,  salvage  from  antique  polytheism, 
in  the  shape  of  angels  and  devils  who  were  nearer  and  more  real  to  man 
than  distant  Deity.1  The  Christian  Church  followed  the  tuition  of  her 
mother  and  her  pagan  converts  brought  along  with  them  the  superstitions 
of  the  Graeco-Roman  world ; the  doctrine  of  the  Incarnation  seemed  to 
entail  the  foil  of  embodied  demons,  and  diabolology  entered  into  the  formal 
Christian  theology  to  an  extent  unknown  in  official  Judaism.2 


1 Cf.  Bousset,  Die  Religion  des  Judentums  im  neutestamentlichen  Zeitalter,  313 
ff.,  326  ff. 

2 For  the  diabolology  of  the  Hellenistic  world,  see  the  works  of  Heitmiiller, 
Reitzenstein,  Abt,  Tambornino,  cited  in  the  previous  section ; also  in  general  P. 
Wendland,  Die  hellenistischromische  Kultur  in  ihren  Beziehungen  su  Judentum  u. 
Christentum,  1907;  for  Jewish  and  Christian  demonology,  see  n.  35  for  literature. 


(67) 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYRONIAN  SECTION. 


68 


Our  magic  is  a degenerate  survival  of  the  religious  and  magical  develop- 
ments of  ancient  Egypt  and  Babylonia,  of  the  Hellenistic  world,  of  Judaism, 
and  in  the  study  of  its  demonology,  we  are  dealing  with  a mass  of  time-worn 
and  banal  demons,  which  do  not  promise  much  for  fresh  investigation. 
Nevertheless  the  analysis  of  the  different  kinds  of  demons  may  produce 
here  and  there  a note  of  interest. 

I have  noticed  above  the  magical  efficacy  ascribed  to  naming  the  names 
of  deities  and  demons  (§  ii).3  Personal  names  for  demons,  it  is  true, 
are  not  very  common ; they  are  generally  epithets  or  generic  terms,  e.  g. 
“the  Killer,  the  Demon,  the  Satan,’’  etc.  One  class  of  demons  however 
seems  always  to  have  enjoyed  the  privilege  of  a long  list  of  names  which 
it  was  the  sorcerer’s  duty  to  know  and  to  conjure.  This  is  the  female 
demon  represented  in  the  old  Babylonian  texts  by  the  Labartu,  in  the 
Jewish  by  the  Lilith,  in  the  Greek  by  the  Gello  or  Baskania.  Our  text 
No.  4 2 is  an  exorcism  of  the  evil  Lilith  and  its  virtue  consists  in  the 
knowledge  it  gives  of  her  many  names ; I refer  to  that  text  for  comparative 
details.  Likewise  the  Labartu  has  her  six  (seven?)  names,  which  are  to 
be  carefully  pronounced.'1 5  We  may  also  compare  the  accumulation  of 
epithets  attached  to  demons  in  2 : 2 f.,  8:  2,  24:  13,  etc.,  and  recall  a like 
process  in  the  names  of  Satan  in  Rev.  9:  11,  12:  9,  while  Egyptian  magic 
similarly  amassed  the  names  of  the  demon  Apep.'  Also  for  further  identi- 
fication of  the  demons  the  names  of  their  parents,  or  even  granddams  are 
given,6  for  every  specification  enhances  the  power  of  the  name.  Also  the 
personal  description  is  efficacious,  for  this  indicates  that  the  sorcerer  knows 
exactly  whom  he  is  exorcising.  Such  magical  descriptions  sometimes  rise 
to  almost  epic  tones,  as  in  the  delineation  of  the  Seven  Spirits  in  the 
Babylonian  Utukki- series.7  A reminiscence  of  these  hair-raising  pictures 
appears  in  the  Mandaic  bowls  published  by  Pognon  and  Lidzbarski,  in  which 

3 Cf.  also  Origen,  C.  Celstim,  i,  24  f„  v,  45  f.,  and  the  summary  of  his  argument 
given  by  Conybeare,  JQR,  ix,  65  f. 

4 See  the  opening  of  the  Labartu  texts  as  published  by  Myhrman,  ZA,  xvi,  154; 
cf.  a similar  text  on  an  amulet  published  by  Weissbach,  Bab.  Miscellen,  44. 

5 Budge,  Egyptian  Magic,  171. 

6 See  below  under  ( 1 ) b. 

1 Thompson,  Dci'ils  and  Evil  Spirits  of  Babylonia,  i,  51- 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


69 


the  hurtling,  scolding,  fighting  of  the  Lilith-witches  is  depicted  in  un- 
canny terms.  But  in  general  our  texts  do  not  extend  much  beyond  the 
mere  registration  of  categories;  this  decadent  sorcery  made  up  for  the  lack 
of  poetical  imagination  by  a mathematical  tabulation.  Superstition  in  order 
to  be  comprehensive  encyclopaedically  accumulated  all  the  terms  of  evil;  not 
only  the  inherited  demoniac  categories,  but  all  which  new  races  and  faiths 
had  to  offer  were  gladly  accepted.  Hence  in  our  texts  the  naming  of  the 
devils  and  ills  results  in  the  registration  of  an  indefinite  number  of  species. 

An  analysis  of  our  general  category  may  start  from  a threefold  division, 
namely : ( i ) evil  spirits,  in  the  strict  sense  of  the  term,  as  personal  beings ; 
(2)  evil  agencies,  especially  the  species  of  black  magic,  which  have  been 
potentized  into  almost  personal  existence;  (3)  natural  evils,  especially 
physical  maladies,  but  also  such  mental  and  moral  affections  as  loss,  shame, 
etc. — which  are  regarded  as  instigated  by  demons,  or  as  themselves  evils 
with  personality,  although  often  the  demoniac  element  is  vague. 

This  is  the  order  we  find  generally  in  our  present  texts.  And  it  is  an- 
tique. It  appears  in  the  Babylonian,  e.  g.  in  a text  where  the  several  evil 
spirits  are  named  (Utukki,  etc.),  then  “the  enchantments,  sorceries,  witch- 
crafts,” then  “sickness.”8  All  the  three  categories  do  not  so  often  appear  in 
the  Babylonian  magic,  more  frequently  those  under  (2)  and  (3)  are  paired, 
but  here  again  we  find  the  same  order — the  bans  ( mamitu ) and  then  the 
various  human  ills.9  This  order  appears  also  on  the  whole  in  the  Byzantine 
charms  published  by  Vassiliev:10  ra  amdapTa  tt vevpara,  ij  (iaonavla  f/  <j>appa.KEta  ?/ 
<j>o[iepiafib<;  fj  tpp'aci?  7/  nvperbi;  f/  ETtiflovlov  1/  avvdvrppa  Trovrjpbv  r/  voappov  p KUipov  f/  rvipTibv, — 

and  so  on  with  a list  of  diseases.  Compare  a papyrus  list,  in  which  are 
all  celestial  and  terrestial  spirits,  sins,  dreams,  bans,  witchcraft.11 

This  is  the  natural  order  of  the  evolution  of  magic:  first  the  animistic 
fear  of  demons,  then  the  opposition  to  mortals  who  have  bound  the  evil 
spirits  to  their  malicious  purpose,  finally  the  more  exact  diagnosis  of  the 
maladies  which  are  specified  in  secular  terms.  At  the  end  of  the  develop- 

8 Fossey,  La  magie  assyrienne , 161. 

0 E.  g.  Surpu-series,  v,  1.  55  ff.,  Zimmern,  Beitrage  z.  Kenniniss  d.  babylon. 
Religion,  2 3. 

10  Anecdota  graeco-byzantina,  i,  332. 

11  Wessely,  Vienna  phil.-hist.  Denkschriften,  xxxvi,  81,  1.  1443. 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


ment  this  last  category  may  alone  remain,  as  in  the  Babylonian  medical 
texts  or  the  modern  Jewish  and  Arabic  charms.  It  may  here  be  remarked 
that  the  never-ending  enlargement  of  categories  of  evil  spirits,  apart  from 
eclectic  causes,  may  be  due  to  Persian  influence,  although  hardly  any  of 
the  details  can  be  traced  to  that  source. 

(i) 

(a)  The  most  honorable  place  in  the  first  division  is  to  be  assigned  to 
the  ancient  gods  and  the  spirits  still  haunting  their  temples,  which  the  de- 
velopment of  religion  and  especially  the  monotheistic  trend  had  depotentized 
and  turned  into  demons.  The  religion  of  yesterday  becomes  the  superstition 
of  to-day.  Polytheism  died  hard.  Even  with  the  triumph  of  the  One  God 
in  the  Old  Testament,  there  survived  the  belief  in  the  many  deities  who 
appear  as  lieutenants  of  Yahwe,  the  crnSsn  'J3  (Job,  i),  as  capable  of 
disobedience  and  subject  to  divine  wrath  (Gen.  6:  i ff.,  Ps.  82),  as  the 
planetary  spirits  ( Dt . 32:  8 [Greek],  Is.  24:  21  ff.),  as  angels, — a more 
thoroughgoing  assimilation  with  monotheism,  though  the  angels  at  first 
have  an  independence  and  sovereignty  recalling  the  Sons  of  God  (e.  g.  Dan. 
10:  13,  21,  and  Satan),  or  finally  as  evil  spirits.  The  supreme  declaration 
of  Second  Isaiah  that  the  gods  are  naught  and  nothing,  unfortunately  was 
not  sustained,  and  even  onetime  beneficent  gods,  when  banished,  returned 
as  demons  to  vex  the  faithful.  A classic  expression  of  this  demonology 
is  found  in  Paul : “the  things  which  the  Gentiles  sacrifice,  they  sacrifice  to 
demons  ( 6ai/j.ovtoi<; ,)  and  not  to  God’  (I  Cor.  10:  20).  The  fullest  develop- 
ment of  this  theory  is  found  in  Mandaism,  where  the  ancient  spirits  of  the 
planets  have  become  the  chief  devils.  So  also  Mohammed  reduced  the 
pagan  gods  to  Jinns. 

These  discarded  deities  may  therefore  head  the  list  of  evil  potencies, 
and  so  we  find  in  38:  8:  “Charmed  be  all  gods  ( X'nSx)13  and  temple-spirits 
and  shrine-spirits  and  idol-spirits  and  goddesses  ( Nnsonoy).  fi  he  old  propel 
name  of  the  goddess  I star  had  already  in  the  Assyrian  become  a common 

15  So  n'S'Sx  had  become  Sawovia  in  the  Septuagint,  and  cf.  Baruch  4-  /• 
77pOCKVV£lV  Ta  (5 alju6vi(l  KCll  TO.  (also  P.CV.  9*  20). 

13  Cf.  the  Babylonian  ilani  limnuti. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


71 


name  of  goddesses  in  general  (istarati) ,14  In  the  heathen  text  No.  19  we 
learn  of  the  sixty  gods  and  the  eighty  goddesses  (1.  8)  ; the  former  figure 
is  a survival  of  the  ancient  sacred  number  for  the  fulness  of  deity,  hence 
the  number  of  Anu  ;15  the  “eighty”  is  merely  cumulative.10  Once  the  rare 
feminine  NnnSx  (in  the  Syriac,  Pesh.,  etc.)  is  found,  used  of  a female 
spirit  (Wohlstein,  2417:  5).” 

Probably  it  is  under  Mandaic  influence  that  we  find  the  planets  re- 
garded as  baneful  spirits;  n.  b.  the  old  myth  of  their  fall  cited  in  4:  6 
and  the  charms  against  sun,  moon,  stars,  planets,  34:  6.  For  other  demons 
of  Mandaic  origin18  see  Pognon’s  list,  Inscriptions  Mandaites,  93;  to  these 
may  be  added  from  Ellis  1 : 3 J'TJ,  the  Mandaic  form  of  Nergal  = the 
unlucky  planet  Mars,  and  T1D3X,19  who  here  is  transformed  into  an  evil 
genius.20 

Under  this  head  there  is  one  interesting  species,  that  of  demons  which 
are  the  spirits  of  the  pagan  shrines  and  simulacra,  and  so  are  regarded 
as  haunting  them.21  Again  the  forceful  protest  of  Second  Isaiah,  of  Ps.  115, 

14  So  ilani  u.  istarati,  KAT 8,  180.  Cf.  Heb.  rnrityj,',  Dt.  7:  13,  etc.,  of  ewes. 
Also  n.  b.  Ju.  2:  13,  with  Moore’s  comment. 

15  For  the  survival  of  this  mystical  number  in  Judaism,  see  Griinbaum,  Zeits.  f. 
Keilschr.-forsch.,  ii,  222.  A list  of  50  gods  is  given  in  one  Babylonian  hymn,  see 
Reisner,  Sumerisch-babylonisclie  Hymnen,  no.  iv,  1.  152  ff. ; cf.  the  Sitrpu- series 
(Zimmern,  Beitrdge),  no.  iv,  1.  68  ff.,  viii,  1 ff.  Sometimes  the  number  alone  (6,  10, 
15,  60)  sufficed  by  way  of  abbreviation;  Jastrow,  Ret.  Bab.  u.  Ass.,  i,  289.  In  No.  38 
are  mentioned  the  360  broods  of  evil  spirits ; cf.  the  366  Uthras  in  the  Mandaic 
religion  and  the  360  gods  which  Islamic  tradition  claimed  were  housed  at  Mecca. 
According  to  Pesah.  mb,  seq.,  a service  tree  near  a city  has  not  less  than  60  demons 
in  it. 

13  According  to  old  Semitic  use,  cf.  Mic.  5:  4,  Prov.  30:  15  ff.  N.  B.  “the  7 sealers 
and  the  8 brothers”  in  the  Mandaic  amulet  published  by  Lidzbarski  in  the  Florilegium 
to  de  Vogue  (1.  7 f.).  Cf.  19:  4. 

11  I find  nnSs  in  Sayce-Cowley’s  Elephantine  papyri,  and  two  Nabataean  inscrip- 
tions, see  Eidzbarski’s  glossary ; also  notice  the  Arabian  goddess  al-Lat,  = the 
Babylonian  Allat,  goddess  of  the  nether-world.  For  occurrence  of  uSx  in  Phoenician, 
see  Baethgen,  Beitrdge,  58  f. 

18  See  Brandt,  Manddische  Religion,  43,  n.  2. 

13  Brandt,  ib.,  51,  199;  Mand.  Schriften,  184. 

20  For  a list  of  these  planetary  spirits  in  the  Mandaic  cf.  Lidzbarski’s  amulet 
just  cited,  1.  247  ff. 

21  Cf.  Origen,  C.  Celsum,  vii,  35  and  64:  the  localities  especially  haunted  by  the 
demons  are  temples  and  shrines  where  they  can  enjoy  the  incense,  blood,  etc.  Also 


72 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


the  satire  of  Bel  and  the  Dragon,  had  failed;  there  was  a virtue  in  the 
cults  and  sanctuaries  of  the  old  religions.  So  the  ekure  appear  in  our 
bowls,  as  in  the  Mandaic  books,22  as  established  deities.  The  word  ekurru, 
once  the  name  for  a temple  had  already  in  the  Assyrian  become  applied  to 
deities,  ekurrdti.'3  The  temples  themselves  were  personified  and  practically 
deified  ;24  later  superstition  retained  the  idea  by  regarding  the  ekure  as  the 
gods  of  the  temples,  and  so  as  gods  in  general ; e.  g.  Lidz.,  iv : D12’3 
N,_0’T  N’TiDy  pn’E’ , where  as  the  number  60  shows,  N’Toy  = NViSn  (cf . 
19:  8).: Of  like  character  are  the  ,"i3ns  , or  nsTis  , = 'nsviXD  (once,  in 
Schwab  O:  5 ’ipns),21'  properly  “images,  idols,”  but  used  at  large  of  gods 
in  general ; e.  g.  we  read  of  “invocations  of  the  gods,  '£,  and  the  goddesses.”27 
There  are  '£  of  the  upper,  lower  and  middle  regions.28  In  some  of  the  lists 
they  appear  rather  far  down;  e.  g.  5:  2,  iOT:n  '£1  nosi  ’vn  ’TIP;  cf. 
the  Mandaic  passage,  quoted  from  the  Ginza,  in  Pognon  B,  p.  75,  where 
they  occur  after  the  demons,  devils,  spirits,  amulets,  liliths,  being  thus 
much  reduced  in  grade.  Levy  translates  the  word  by  Gespenstcr in  the 
eclectic  magic  of  the  time  the  word  may  have  come  to  be  identified  with 
elSulov  , = both  phantasm  or  ghost,  and  idol.30  There  is  the  distinction 


in  the  Talmud  the  reality  of  oracles  at  those  shrines  is  admitted,  although  explained 
apologetically;  see  the  argument  in  Aboda  Z.  55a,  cited  by  Joel,  Der  Aberglaube, 
i,  p.  86.  Cf.  I Cor.  10:  28. 

22  Brandt,  Mand.  Schriften,  81. 

23  Delitzsch,  Ass.  Hwb.,  21. 

21  Reisner,  Sum.-bab.  Hymnen,  iv,  1.  165;  Jastrow,  op.  cit.,  i,  282.  Beth-el 
appears  in  the  same  use  in  West  Semitic:  the  god  Bait-ile,  KAT3,  437  f.,  the  name 
Bethel-shar-ezer,  Zech.  7 : 21  and  now  the  many  similar  names  in  the  new  Elephantine 
papyri  published  by  Sachau. 

25  The  word  also  survived  in  its  original  sense,  e.  g.  Pognon,  B,  no.  13. 

26  For  the  form,  see  Noldeke,  Mand.  Gram.,  § 25. 

27  2:  7,  Lidz.  4,  Wohls.  2422:  5. 

28  Pogn.  B,  no.  25,  er.d. 

29  ZDMG,  ix,  467,  n.  5. 

30  The  Persian  word  was  early  introduced  into  the  Occident.  According  to  one 
MS.  and  Symmachus’s  testimony  (margin  of  Cod.  Marchalianus)  tt araxpa  (+  etdaPia 
as  gloss)  translates  the  vnSx  of  Is.  8:  21,  where  the  unintelligible  n arpta  is  generally 
found.  See  Nestle  in  Transactions  of  the  IXth  International  Congress  of  Orientalists, 
(1892),  ii,  58. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


73 


between  male  and  female  's  : xmanai  nans  and  snap'll!  jnmans  (Schwab 

I ) ,30“ 

I am  inclined  to  associate  with  these  patkciras  the  N'ans  of  38 : 8 and 
40:  19,  where  they  are  listed  between  the  sniay  and  sna'ns  or  the  snoy 
and  snsnnD’y.  The  word  would  then  mean  “shrine-spirits”  (Syriac  perakka, 
Ass.  parakku).  The  change  of  the  first  vowel  (a  to  i)  is  possible.31  But 
another  etymology  may  be  proposed — from  the  Persian  pairlka  = Pahlavi 
parik  (the  modern  Persian  Peri).33  These  creatures  are  described  as  beau- 
tiful seductive  witches,  are  connected  with  comets,  and  also  according  to 
de  Harlez  are  companions  of  certain  genii  invoked  by  magicians.  Philologi- 
cally,  this  would  be  the  most  fitting  etymology  for  our  word ; but  its  pre- 
cedence in  the  lists  indicates  a higher  rank  than  that  assigned  to  the  little 
known  (so  Spiegel)  and  insignificant  Pairikas. 

For  the  false  gods  also  appears  Nnyo  .NJTiyta  (sing,  iyo),  = “error,” 
— used  like  S’Sx,  etc.  in  the  Old  Testament. 

(b)  I pass  now  to  those  groups  of  demons  which  immemorially  had 
stood  as  the  evil  spirits  par  excellence.  Like  the  utukki  of  the  Babylonian 
religion33  they  mostly  appear  in  tribal  groups,  without  personal  distinction. 
Most  constant  among  these  classes  are  the  pvn  and  pT’E* , which  may  be 
expressed  by  “devils  and  demons,”  with  as  much  or  as  little  of  a definite 
idea  as  these  English  words  convey  to  us.  The  D'HC?  occur  in  the  Old 
Testament,  the  word  having  an  obscure  history  in  connection  with  the 
Assyrian  sedu;  in  function  the  is  the  Babylonian  sedu  limnu,  “evil 
sedu.”3*  In  the  later  Jewish  demonology  the  J’Tt?  are  the  hobgoblins,  the 

30a  With  'B  — a deity  or  demon,  cf.  the  use  of  orjfia,  “tomb,”  as  grave-demon ; 
so  in  a Greek  amulet  published  by  Reitzenstein,  Poimandres,  293,  and  see  his  note  2. 
Also  in  the  Syriac  NJV3J,  “shrine”  comes  to  mean  a god,  a false  god,  and  in  Peshitto 
of  I Sa.  7 : 3 translates  nnntpy . In  Islam  the  false  gods  were  called  asnam,  “idolsj” 

81  Cf.  Noldeke,  Gram.  d.  neu-syr.  Sprache,  § 6,  or  Maud.  Gram.,  § 20;  cf. 
pB'n'Sn,  8:  3.  Or  an  assimilation  to  siB’nE  ? 

32  See  Spiegel,  Eranische  Alterthumskunde,  ii,  138;  A.  V.  W.  Jackson  in 
Geiger  and  Kuhn,  Grundriss  d.  iranischen  Philologie,  iii,  p.  665;  C.  de  Harlez,  Manuel 
du  Pehlevi,  1880),  s.  v.  in  Glossary. 

33  See,  for  the  Babylonian  demons,  Fossey,  La  magie  assyrienne,  c.  2;  Jastrow, 
Rel.  Bab.  u.  Ass.,  i,  c.  xvi ; Thompson,  Semitic  Magic,  43  ff. 

34  See,  inter  al.,  Baudissin,  Studien  z.  sent.  Religionsgeschichte,  ii,  131,  and  his 
art.  “Feldgeister,”  in  Hauck’s  RE3;  H.  Duhm,  Die  bosen  Geister  im  Alien  Testament, 


'4 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


prevailing  class  of  demons ; they  are  the  Saifiovia  of  the  Greek,  for  which  the 
Peshitto  returns  to  the  Jewish  term.35 

As  Judaism  has  its  feminine  niTC*,  so  once  we  find  reference  to  the 
xnXDTt?  , 7:  14.30  In  11  : 5 = 18:  4 = Ellis  1,  = Lidz.  5,  we  learn  of  a 
“king  of  demons  and  devils,”  with  which  compare  Asmodaeus,  the  king  of 
the  demons.37  But  in  these  texts  his  name  is  given  as  KJU3,  X3XTH3X, 
which  is  found  in  19 : 10  as  name  of  an  evil  deity  ( ^xan  -13),  while  the 
plural  in  the  same  text,  11.  6,  13,  has  evidently  the  meaning  demons  or 
deities.  In  a broken  text  (Pognon  B,  no.  24,  1.  19),  a X'TC’l  xd^»  occurs. 
In  29:  9 the  sedhi  are  described  as  xSlE  '33.  “sons  of  shadow,”  cf.  the  '3^0 
of  the  Targum. 

The  pvt  inherited  a good  name  from  the  old  Aryan  theology  ( = 
gods),  were  depotentized  in  the  Persian  system,  and  came  into  Semitic 
currency  through  the  Mandaic  and  Syriac.  (The  word  does  not  occur  in 
Targums  and  Talmud.38)  In  the  Peshitto  use  of  the  term  it  appears  to 
apply  to  the  demons  of  mental  and  moral  disorders,  thus  indicating  some- 
thing distinct  from  the  sedhi.*0 

The  “spirits”  or  “evil  spirits”  ( njn  nn,  xnt3"3  xnn,  pt3”3  pnn  — 
both  masc.  and  fern.)40  form  a triad  with  the  preceding  species.  Levy 

49,  20;  Thompson,  Semitic  Magic.  43;  and  the  discussions  by  the  students  of  Assyrio- 
logical  magic,  Zimmern  ( Beitrdge  and  KATZ),  Tallquist,  Jastrow,  Fossey.  Fossey, 
p.  50,  quotes  IVR  6a,  26,  to  the  effect  that  the  sedu  is  the  demon  of  the  evil  eye — 
another  proof  that  demons  and  their  functions  were  interchangeable. 

S5  For  these  and  the  following  demoniac  species  in  Judaism,  see  Eisenmenger, 
Entdecktes  Judentum,  ii,  408  ff. : Griinbaum,  in  his  admirable  “Beitrage  z.  vergleich- 
enden  Mythologie  aus  d.  Hagada,”  in  ZDMG,  xxxi,  — esp.  271  ff. ; Weber,  Jiidische 
Theologie,  p.  242  ff. ; Edersheim,  Life  and  Times  of  Jesus,  ii,  759  ff. ; Blau,  Das 
altjiidische  Zauberwesen,  10  ff. ; Levy,  ZDMG,  ix,  482;  T.  Witton  Davies,  Magic, 
Divination,  and  Demonology  among  the  Hebrews  and  their  Neighbors  (London,  n. 
d.)  ; the  art.  “Demonology”  in  Jewish  Encyc.;  Conybeare,  “Demonology  of  the  New 
Testament,”  JQR,  viii,  ix ; Everling,  Die  paulinische  Angelologie  u.  Ddmonologie ; 
also  v.  Baudissin  and  H.  Duhm  as  cited  above,  note  34. 

36  Cf.  dat/ioveg  daijidvwaai,  of  the  Leyden  Papyrus,  Dieterich,  Abraxas,  194,  1.  10. 

37  Also  simply  the  king,  xsSn  , Eisenmenger,  op.  cit.,  ii,  422  (a  tradition  of  the 
“Molek”  of  the  Old  Testament?). 

38  According  to  Levy,  not  found  in  Jewish  literature,  op.  cit.,  488. 

39  Acc.  to  Baudissin,  op.  cit.,  131,  the  Harclean  version  replaces  sixty  of  the 
Peshitto  w.  svi . 

40  Cf.  Ellis  5 : 4,  napii  lar . 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


75 

and  Blau  regard  them  as  ghosts,41  but  without  warrant,  as  the  Rabbinic, 
Syriac  and  Mandaic  use  of  the  word  shows.  They  are  the  nveiifiara  novr/pa  ) or 
andd-apra  of  the  New  Testament,  the  equivalent  of  the  Babylonian  utukki 
limnuti.  This  development  of  nn  we  may  trace  in  the  Old  Testament 
where  “a  spirit  of  evil,”  “the  evil  spirit,”  appears  as  an  agent  of  Jahwe; 
like  the  Satan  such  potencies  easily  passed  into  malicious  demons. 

The  Maszikin  which  are  prominent  in  Jewish  lore,  where  they  are 
the  general  category  for  all  demons,42  appear  but  seldom. 

These  devils,  demons  and  evil  spirits  in  their  juxtaposition  recall  the 
several  species  so  frequently  enumerated  in  Babylonian  demonology ; e.  g. 
as  listed  more  than  once  in  the  Maklu- series,  the  utukku,  sedu,  rabisu, 
ekimmu , labartu,  labasu,  ahhasu,  followed  by  the  liliths.43  But  beyond  the 
registration  of  several  categories  there  is  no  equivalence  in  name  (with  one 
exception),  in  definite  character.44  A certain  amount  of  distinction  can  be 
drawn  in  the  Babylonian  field,  but  in  our  texts  no  differentiation  exists. 
Indeed  the  three  species  are  rather  tokens  of  the  several  sources  of  our 
particular  magic,  the  Hebrew  ( nn  ),  Babylonian  Persian  (KV“i). 

The  only  reference  to  the  “seven  spirits”  of  Babylonian  magic  is  in  con- 
nection with  the  (see  below). 

But  it  is  the  Liliths  which  enjoy  the  greatest  individual  vogue  in  our 
demonology.  Many  of  the  charms  culminate  in  that  objective;  the  other 
evil  spirits  are  most  often  merely  generical,  anonymous,  to  whom  the 
general  compliment  of  a spell  must  be  paid,  but  the  Liliths  are  definite 
terrors,  whose  malice  is  specific  and  whose  traits  and  names  are  fully 
known. 

41  Opp.  cit.,  p.  482,  p.  14.  The  view  that  demons  were  ghosts  of  the  dead  indeed 
existed;  see  Justin  Martyr,  Apol.,  i,  c.  18  and  for  later  Judaism,  Eisenmenger,  ii,  427. 
They  may  have  been  specialized  as  the  spirits  of  demoniac  possession  and  moral 
temptation  (see  Blau).  For  the  relation  of  pnn  and  n vey/iara,  see  Baudissin  in 
Hauck’s  RE3,  vi,  12  f. 

42  So  Weber,  Blau. 

43  Tallquist,  Die  ass.  Beschworungsserie  Maqlu,  1894,  no.  i,  1.  136,  v.  1.  77,  N.  B. 
just  seven  species. 

44  For  the  distinctions  between  the  Babylonian  spirits,  see  Jastrow,  op.  cit.,  i,  278; 
Thompson,  Devils,  i,  xxiv,  Semitic  Magic,  1,  Fossey,  op.  cit.,  c.  2. 


76 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


The  genus  appears  in  the  Babylonian  incantations,  as  masculine  and 
feminine,  lilu  and  lilit,  along  with  an  ardat  lili ,45  The  two  former  words 
survived  in  Jewish  demonology  and  both  occur  abundantly  in  our  bowls, 
though  the  Lilin  are  only  pendants  to  the  Liliths.  The  origin  of  the  word, 
whether  Semitic  from  TS  = “nightmare,  nighthag,”  etc.  with  Schrader, 
Halevy,  ct  al.,  or  from  the  Sumerian  lit,  “storm,”  with  Sayce,46  Zimmern,47 
R.  C.  Thompson,48  lies  beyond  my  present  scope.  Probably  as  others  have 
suggested,  the  resemblance  of  Sumerian  hi  to  , “night,”  may  have  had  its 
part  in  shaping  the  phantom  of  Lilith  and  her  troop  among  Semitic-speaking 
peoples ; but  I would  suggest  that  the  prime  connection  is  not  etymological 
but  semantic : lil  = wind  = nn  = spirit  f Libs  and  Liliths  are  specialized 
forms  of  pirn.6" 

In  the  Babylonian  the  Lilith  ( ardat  lili ) is  the  ghostly  paramour  of 
men,  and  her  realm  is  the  sexual  sphere ; hence  women  in  their  periods 
and  at  childbirth,  maidens,  children,  are  the  special  objects  of  her  malice.51 
Hence  in  the  bowl  inscriptions,  made  out  for  the  protection  of  homes  and 
the  peace  of  family  life,  most  often  in  the  name  of  the  women  concerned, 
it  is  an  amulet  against  these  noxious  spirits  that  is  particularly  desired. 
We  may  say  that  the  Libs  and  Liliths  are  the  demons  of  the  family  life. 

Texts  Nos.  i,  6,  8,  g,  n,  17,  may  be  referred  to  especially  for  the 
Liliths.  They  haunt  the  house,  1 : 6,  lurk  in  the  arches  and  thresholds,  6:  4, 
one  dwells  in  the  house  concerned,  11:5.  So  in  the  Talmud  they  dwell  in 
the  beams  and  crevices,  the  cesspools,  etc.,52  even  as  in  Greek  magic  demons 

45  Acc.  to  Zimmern,  KAT 3,  459  = paramour  of  lilu.  Better  Thompson.  ( Devils , 
etc.,  i,  p.  xxxvii,  Semitic  Magic , 65),  who  regards  the  ardat  lili  as  the  more 
specialized  (e.  g.  marriageable)  lilith,  hence  the  original  of  the  Jewish  Lilith. 

40  Hibbert  Lectures,  145. 

47  KAT3,  460,  n.  7. 

48  Semitic  Magic,  66:  if  Semitic,  from  root  rhb,  “be  abundant,  lascivious.” 

43  Cf.  nn  in  Job  4:  15;  the  wind-draught  easily  passes  into  a ghost. 

“ The  single  appearance  of  Lilith  in  the  Old  Testament,  Is.  34:  14,  represents  a 
more  primitive  stage  of  the  fable  than  the  Babylonian  Liliths.  She  is  just  one  of 
the  spirits  haunting  waste  ruins. 

61  See  Thompson,  /.  c.  et  seq.,  who  discusses  the  demonology  of  marriages  with 
Jinns,  etc. 

52  Jewish  Encyc.,  i v,  516b.— In  29:  6 f.  (cf.  1.  9)  occurs  tn'trtn  xntrn  xmW,  “the 
evil  and  the  decent  lilith”;  this  recalls  the  good  demons  of  Jewish  lore,  paic 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


77 


are  given  the  like  habitat.53  In  No.  i they  are  described  as  generating  off- 
spring with  human  folks,  appearing  as  phantom  men  and  women  to  women 
and  men  by  night.  Hence  the  interesting  phenomenon  of  the  magic  get,  di- 
vorce-writ, by  which  the  sorcerer,  like  a Jewish  rabbi,  separates  these  obscene 
beings  from  their  prey.54  Especially  do  they  vent  their  rage  on  little 
children  as  the  detested  offspring  of  human  wedlock ; they  plague  them, 
throttle  and  devour  them,  suck  their  blood  (e.  g.  n : 8,  18:  6,  36:  9,  Lidz. 
5).  The  name  for  one  of  these  demons,  in  No.  36,  is  “Murderess  daughter 
of  Murderess,”  and  “strangler.”  In  the  Jewish  demonology  the  Liliths  have 
the  like  fiendish  character;  Bemidbar  Rabba  16  affirms  that  they  kill  chil- 
dren.'"’ In  No.  11  the  Lilith  is  associated  with  the  personifications  of 
barrenness  and  abortion.  The  figure  on  No.  8 gives  the  picture  of  a typical 
obscene  Lilith  ; she  is  depicted  with  loose  tresses,  one  of  the  characteristics 
of  the  species,  cf.  8 : 3 ; cf.  Nidda  24b,  Rrub.  100b.  The  later  Lilith  thus 
partakes  of  the  nature  of  the  elder  lilit  and  of  the  Labartu,  the  enemy  of 
children.66 

The  Liliths  are  intimately  known,  their  own  and  their  parents’,  even 
the  granddam’s  names  are  given,  e.  g.  Nos.  8,  11.  At  the  beginning  of 
Wohlstein’s  text  2416  (=  Stiibe)  a whole  brood  of  demons  is  named.57 
Especially  in  the  case  of  this  species  most  exact  descriptions  are  given  of 
their  foul  ways  and  apparitions,58  for  the  Liliths  were  the  most  developed 
products  of  the  morbid  imagination — of  the  barren  or  neurotic  woman, 


Eisenmenger,  ii,  431  f.,  and  the  good  and  bad  scdu  of  the  Babylonian — also  so  the 
utiikku,  Fossey,  op.  cit.,  449. 

53  Wessely,  xlii,  66,  1.  19:  they  are  bidden  “not  to  hide  in  this  earth  nor  under 
the  bed  or  gate  or  beams  or  vessels  or  holes.” 

54  See  to  8:  7.  The  separation  had  to  be  legally  effected,  for  the  Lilith  had  her 
nuptial  rights  or  powers.  Cf.  the  tales  of  the  female  Jinns  in  Arabic  folklore. 

55  Cited  by  Weber,  op.  cit.,  255.  So  also  in  the  Testament  of  Solomon,  ed. 
Conybeare,  JQR,  xi,  16.  But  not  in  the  Talmud,  according  to  Griinbaum,  Zeits.  f. 
Keilschr.-F orsch.,  ii,  226. 

56  See  Myhrman,  ZA,  xvi,  147  ff. 

57  See  Wohlstein’s  note;  the  mother’s  name  'O’R,  “little  mother,”  throws  light 
on  a passage  in  Pesah.  112a.  In  general  these  names  are  epithetical ; cf.  the  demon 
Ahriman  bar  Lilit,  B.  Bath.  73a. 

68  See  above. 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


iyQ 

t O 

the  mother  in  the  time  of  maternity,  of  the  sleepless  child.60  Somewhat  of 
the  elder  and  biblical  notion  of  the  Lilith  as  denizen  of  the  desert  appears 
in  the  expressions  xim  NnJ3,  man  IT^'b,  17:  3,  27:  7.60 

A further  development  of  the  Lilith  is  her  assimilation  with  the  witch ; 
the  descriptions  of  the  species  in  the  Mandaic  bowls  recall  the  uncanny 
scenes  of  the  witches’  nights  which  are  the  theme  of  still  existent  folklore. 
The  Lilith  is  the  Baskania,  (i.  e.  witchery)  of  the  Greek  charms.61  The 
epithets  “cursing,”  and  “undoing,”  e.  g.  34:  13,  belong  to  this  phase  of  the 
Lilith-idea. 

Very  interesting  is  the  similarity  of  the  Semitic  Lilith,  and  in  course 
of  time  her  assimilation  to  the  psychological  horrors  which  haunted  men 
elsewhere,  especially  to  the  identical  forms  in  the  Graeco-Roman  demon- 
ology. I refer  to  the  Lamia,6"  the  Empusa,63  the  Gello,61  the  Marmolyke 
and  Gorgons,  and  the  incubi  and  succubac .°6  In  connection  with  the  text 
No.  42  which  presents  the  legend  of  the  Lilith-witch,  I take  occasion  to 
present  the  parallel  forms  of  this  conception  as  found  in  the  western 
world.  This  developed  myth  is  a later  accretion  to  the  ancient  inchoate 
ideas  of  these  monsters. 


6:1  For  the  psychological  basis  and  subjective  fact  of  these  apparitions,  see 
Roscher,  “Ephialtes”  c.  1,  in  Abhandlungen  of  the  Saxon  Academy  of  Sciences,  vol. 
xx  (1900). 

co  Cf.  ekimmu  Jiarbi,  Maklu- series  iv,  1.  22  (Tallquist,  p.  66),  and  the  exorcism, 
“evil  spirit  to  thy  desert,”  Thompson,  Devils,  i,  152,  ii,  26;  cf.  i,  167,  191  ff.  The 
banning  of  the  demons  into  the  desert  and  mountains  (cf.  M t.  12:  43)  is  frequent  in 
the  magical  papyri,  e.  g.  in  an  amulet  published  by  Reitzenstein,  Poimandres,  294 : 
iva  a-eMare  ev  aypioic  bpecnv  sal  entice  <pvyadevh>/aere . Cf.  Wohlstein  2422  (1.  28), 
“go  and  fall  on  the  mountains  and  heights  and  the  unclean  beasts.”  As  Wohlstein 
notes,  the  latter  clause  is  a most  interesting  commentary  on  the  anecdote  of  the 
Gadarene  devils  which  asked  thd  liberty  to  enter  the  swine,  Mt.  8:  28,  etc. 

61  See  at  length  under  No.  42. 

62  Daremberg  and  Saglio,  Dictionnaire,  s.  v. 

03  Pauly-Wissowa,  RE,  s.  v. 

64  For  Gello  as  a lilith-name  and  as  probably  equal  to  Ass.  gallu,  see  notes  to 
No.  42. 

65  For  the  incubi  see  Roscher,  Ephialtes,  60.  The  special  demon  which  is  the 
subject  of  this  classic  treatise  corresponds  to  the  male  Lili  of  our  texts,  but  his 
vogue  is  far  more  extended.  He  is  in  form  goat,  satyr,  faun,  etc.,  a rural  as  well  as 
a domestic  terror. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


79 


A long  list  of  species  of  demons  still  remains  to  be  considered,  most 
of  which  are  not  much  more  than  names.  One  of  the  most  frequent  and 
evidently  most  dreaded  is  the  class  of  the  |'lb32D  or  Nr632».  Once  they 
are  spoken  of  as  the  “seven  of  night  and  day,”  16:  7,  recalling  the  Seven 
Spirits  of  Babylonian  mythology.60  Stiibe  (p.  59)  suggests  derivation  from 
^23  , “bind,”  and  Myhrmann  (p.  350)  compares  Assyrian  kabalu  used  in 
incantations.  I venture  to  suggest  metaplasis  with  the  Syriac  12^,  “hold, 
seize,”  i.  e.  “take  demoniac  possession  of,”  so  that  we  may  compare  this 
species  with  the  Babylonian  ahassu .67  Cf.  mraXapPavuv ; Mk.  9:  18,  and  the 
terms  narex^pcvoi  and  kMoxoi.  indicative  of  supernatural  possession.68 

There  are  the  evil  angels,69  who  are  called  ptTIp  = sacri,  in  4:1;  the 
“angels  of  wrath  and  the  angels  of  the  house  of  assembly.”70  We  read 
of  the  to ESI  , 37 : 8,  rites  in  which  angels  were  bound  to  hellish 
operations.  The  word  is  used  of  pagan  deities  in  36:  5 (cf.  19:  13),  even 
as  ayyeloL  appears  in  the  papyri.71  The  angel  of  death  who  shudders  at 
the  Great  Name  appears  in  3:  6,  Schwab  F. 

“The  Satan”  appears  and  also  “the  Satans,”  as  in  Enoch  (40:  7)  and 
Rabbinic72  and  Arabic  lore.  There  is  no  amplification  of  the  doctrine  of 


66  Cf.  Thompson,  Semitic  Magic,  47. 

67  Ibid.,  p.  43,  etc. 

68  See  Tambornino,  De  antiquo  daemonismo,  56. 

00  Cf.  Mt.  25:  41,  Rev.  12:  7,  “the  devil  and  his  angels,”  and  the  absolute  use  of 

the  word  in  this  sense  in  I Cor.  11 : 10,  with  reference  to  the  myth  in  Gen.  6.  Blau 
notes,  without  citation,  an  evil  spirit  t?Tpn  nn,  p.  10,  n.  2.  For  evil  angels,  see  Volz, 
Judische  Escliatologie,  § 23. 

70  Wohlstein  2422.  The  editor  makes  no  comment  on  this  or  the  parallel  phrase 

in  1.  7:  xnty'33  n'21  nD'X.  nD'X  evidently  equals  »2tAn  (see  below,  note  112).  The 

“house  of  assembly”  recalls  the  ancient  Semitic  idea  of  the  17112  in,  Is.  14:  13,  the 

assembly  of  the  gods  on  the  Semitic  Olympus, — Walhalla  having  become  a conventicle 
of  demons!  (Demons  are  located  in  the  north  by  Jewish  legend,  Pirke  R.  Eliezer, 
iii,  and  other  reff.,  in  Eisenmenger,  op.  cit.,  ii,  438.)  Or  '2  '2  = avvayi/yv,  CKK^rjaia, 
may  refer  to  the  conventicle  of  a magical  cult  (cf.  “the  synagogue  of  Satan,”  Rev. 
2:9).  But  the  phrase  is  probably  to  be  interpreted  from  a passage  in  a “Christian” 
amulet  published  by  Reitzenstein,  op.  cit.,  295,  top:  op/ctfw  vpag  ra  evaicocna  i^r/Kovra 
nvev/jaTa  rf/ f eKK?ir/aiae  tov  Trovr/f/ov. 

71  E.  g.  Dieterich , Abraxas,  192,  1.  10;  so  also  in  the  LXX,  e.  g.  Ps.  96:  7,  and  an 
inscription  cited  by  Cumont  Oriental  Religions,  n.  38,  p.  266:  diis  angehs. 

72  Debarim  R.,  c.  11 : “Sammael  the  head  of  all  the  Satans,”  quoted  by  Weber, 
Jiid.  Theol.,  253. 


80 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


the  individual  Satan.  Once  with  the  Satans  (35:  4)  are  associated  the 
KtTEiD  and  SOUXH,  the  former  a class  of  seducing  spirits  (metaplasm  of 
•/  XED  ?),'3  the  latter  the  almost  unique  Semitic  transliteration  of  diafioXot. 
In  2 : 3 are  mentioned  the  "am  ’ID,  the  Fiends  and  Foes. 

The  pp’t’4  appear  in  association  with  the  pp’TD.  The  Rabbinic  and 
Syriac  spy  is  a meteor,  blast  of  wind,  etc. ; in  the  Mandaic  it  has  the  more 
general  sense  of  a plague.’*  The  Mandaic  has  inherited  an  old  Babylonian 
idea  of  the  sakiku,  “blast,”  as  a demon,  and  then  death-demon."'  The 
Satyrs,  D’Tyc’ , appear  once,  5 : 4,  a reminiscence,  as  the  form  shows,  of 
the  Old  Testament."  The  fTinc’  of  Schwab  G are  black  devils;  cf.  the 
title  of  Satan  5 pela c,  in  Epistle  of  Barnabas,  4:  9. 

In  Hyvernat’s  text  occurs  the  phrase  niDPKH  which  Griinbaum 

most  plausibly  translates  “the  Jinn  of  Solomon.”'8  The  word  would  then 
be  one  of  a few  terms  in  our  texts  which  suggest  Arabic  connections  (see 
smSt?,  pp’E\  below).  But  the  reserve  is  to  be  made  that,  as  Noldeke 
maintained,  the  root  is  common-Semitic,  and  the  spread  of  the  word  may 
well  have  antedated  the  Muslim  Conquest.  We  may  compare  the  god 
Gennaios  cited  by  Cumont  in  Pauly-Wissowa,  vii,  1174.  The  KUJ  of  3 7:6 
is  to  be  explained  from  the  Mandaic  N131J  (Syriac  NIP  Arabic  jimd ), 
“troop” ; devils  molest  their  victims  in  bands,  cf.  the  name  “Legion 
assumed  by  the  demoniac  in  the  Gospel,  and  the  “tribes”  ( NEDTit?)  of 
demons  in  38:  6;  also  cf.  13:  1. 


” Cf.  1 Tim.  4.  1,  “seducing  spirits  and  doctrines  of  devils.” 

74  So  probably  read  forppy  in  Hyvernat,  1.  4;  in  19:  13,  ’pjft. 

75  Norberg,  Lexidion,  55. 

76  Muss-Arnolt,  Diet.,  ad  voc.,  cf.  the  sunn  zikiku,  “roaming  windblast,”  Thomp- 
son, Devils,  ii,  4,  1.  27.  For  the  simile  of  demons  to  storms,  see  ibid.,  i,  89,  and 
compare  the  etymology  of  lilith  (see  above).  For  the  word  see  12:  8. 

77  But  the  idea  of  the  hairy  goatlike  demon  which  obsesses  its  victim  with 

mischievous  or  obscene  purpose  is  universal.  Cf.  the  Arabic  ifrit,  aeabb,  with  the 
same  root-meaning;  Wellhausen,  Reste  des  arabisclien  Heidentuins,  135!  Baudissin, 
Studien,  i,  136.  The  same  phenomenon  is  abundantly  vouched  for  in  the  Greek 
demonology;  see  Roscher,  Ephialtes,  29  f.,  for  the  goatlike  form  of  the  Ephialtes, 
and  p.  62  for  its  epithet  pilosits;  and  compare  Pan  and  the  Fauns.  See  Roscher,  note 

283b,  for  similar  representations  in  the  superstition  of  India.  In  5 : 4 the  satyrs  are 

represented  as  haunting  a particular  stretch  of  road. 

78  Probably  to  be  read  in  37 : 10. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


81 


In  15:  6 and  Myhrman  1.  2 are  found  the  pin''.  The  second  1 
is  sure  in  my  text ; Jastrow’s  and  Levy’s  lexicons  give  the  word  as  a 
variant  to  NTfP,  “ostrich,”  but  doubtless  the  former  is  the  correct  spelling;79 
the  root  is  onomatopoetic  (cf.  and  English  “howl”  and  “roar”),  con- 
noting a howling  creature  and  was  applied  to  the  ostrich — so  the  Tosefta 
(see  Jastrow)  ; but  in  the  Targums  it  generally  translates  the  Hebrew  Dv,¥, 
D’on , the  uncanny  creatures  typical  of  desolation.  In  the  Syriac,  ton’ 
is  jackal,  translating  D’Jn . But  the  Rabbinic  references  indicate  that  it 
was  rather  a fabulous  than  a zoological  species,  akin  to  the  liliths,  satyrs 
and  vampires  that  haunt  ruins,  and  this  connotation  appears  in  the  Syro- 
hexaplar  to  Is.  34:  17,  translating  rivE*  by  tOlT  , while  Symmachus  gives 
'ta.fj.ia  .R0  This  equation  gives  the  key  to  our  present  word.  The  Babylonians 
represented  their  demons  in  uncouth  shapes  of  birds  and  animals.809 

Besides  the  use  of  certain  generic  terms,  such  as  NDE’jt,  “oppressors,” 
there  remain  several  rare  or  obscure  species:  the  also  ’□Nob,  probably 

metaplastic  for  battala,  “undoer”;  the  tONtsb  (alongside  NJNtOD)  No.  20, 
probably  from  root  DlS  “curse,”81  or  a form  of  the  Targumic  “shade- 

demon.”  The  pEDtt’  in  Hyvernat,  1.  3,  for  which  Griinbaum  (p.  221)  cites 
the  Arabic  sifut,  species  daemonis,  is  probably  to  be  read  pD3C.*’,  “plagues” 
(see  p.  80).  For  the  'D'J,  possibly  “familiar  spirits,”  see  to  6:  2. 

There  are  also  names  of  individual  demons.  Some  can  be  identified : 
the  fcWVSDn,  corresponding  to  the  Arabic  ghul  (see  to  8:  2)  ; ID  a depo- 
tentized  deity.82  Some  are  recognizable  epithets  : 3 : 2,  WOIID  37  ••  10, 

nnt?  Schw.  F.  Others  defy  etymology:  tyipmpnC’N  Pogn.  B,  "ipEH  34:  10 
( q . v.  for  a possible  interpretation),  K'TOI  3:  2,  n’jilDn  Schw.  G.Long  lists  of 
such  obscure  names  are  found  in  Schwab  F and  G ; these  are  probably  on  a 

79  According  to  Jastrow,  Lagarde’s  editions  of  the  Targums  have  everywhere  this 

form ; appears  as  a variant  in  one  place. 

80  See  Field’s  Hexapla.  N.  B.  the  interpretations  of  the  uncanny  creatures  in 
this  passage  as  demons  by  both  the  Greek  and  the  Targum. 

80a  This  word  is  to  be  distinguished  from  "i’ll,  an  eye-disease  (see  below)  ; 
because  of  the  uncertainty  of  the  spelling  of  the  two  words  the  ’i’ll  at  end  of 
Schw.  G may  be  the  one  or  the  other  word. 

81  Cf.  the  Syriac  R31RC. 

82  Stiibe,  1.  4.  See  Pognon,  Inscriptions  semitiques,  82;  Clay,  Amurru,  162. 


82 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


par  with  the  mystical  names  of  the  angels  (see  § 13).' " Finally  we  may 
note  the  blanket-formulas  for  demons  who  are  named  and  who  are  not 
named,  and  which  have  their  parallel  in  the  Babylonian,84  and  in  the  Greek 

* 85 

magic. 

There  are  comparatively  few  certain  references  to  ghosts;  the  pnn, 
etc.,  as  spirits  of  the  dead,  may  include  them.88  One  case  in  point  is  found 
in  No.  39:  “charmed  the  lilith  that  appears  to  her  ....  [in  some  shape]; 
charmed  the  lilith  that  appears  to  her  in  ....  [the  shape  of  ?]  Tata  her 
niece;  charmed  all  the  defiling  ghosts,  xnNlOT,  that  have  entered,  which 
appear  to  her  in  dreams  of  nights  and  visions  of  day.”  Here  a definite 
ghostly  apparition  is  really  a diabolic  delusion.  Also  Nos.  20,  25  contain 
general  charms  against  ghosts.  One  technical  term  for  ghost  possibly  ap- 
pears, NJTW  (see  to  8:  2).  The  last  of  Wohlstein’s  series,  2422,  appears 
to  be  directed  against  ghosts  and  is  an  interesting  example  of  necromantic 
spell.  Familiar  names  are  given  to  the  spirits  and  they  are  cajoled  to  do  no 
harm.  Also  in  Wohlstein,  no.  2422  appears  the  1JVD  Hi  Nia’p  IV 3 nn. 
There  is  constant  reference  to  dreams  (NoS’n ) and  apparitions  ( xniDT, 
NVrn),87  which  are  the  milieu  of  demoniac  and  ghostly  apparitions,  cf.  7: 
13;  hence  yn  , “disturbing  dreams,”  in  which  phrase  the  noun  is 

practically  personified — a category  of  evil  spirits.  We  have  such  a com- 
bination as : N'Oipni  xnxm  NHton  (Pognon  A),  in  which  nn  are  impure 
conceptions  of  the  night  (cf.  D^n  in  Syriac)  ; the  second  word,  which 
Pognon  does  not  explain,  is  doubtless  the  Talmudic  HIE’,  “leaper,  ’ exactly 
the  Ephialtes  of  the  Greeks,  a kind  of  incubus™  This  distinction  of  the 
dream  from  ghost  or  demon  represents  a later  psychology.  Charms  against 
dreams  are  frequent  in  the  Greek  papyri;  thus  against  bveipov f <pPiktov f,89 

85  This  giving  of  unintelligible  names  to  demons  may  be  in  imitation  of  Persian 
diabolology;  see  Jackson  in  Geiger  and  Kuhn,  Grundriss  d.  iranischen  Philologie, 
iii,  659,  listing  54  individual  demon  names. 

81  Thompson,  Devils,  i,  153. 

85  E.  g.  d aifidviov  Kai  pr)  hvniiaZoiu'vov , Pradel,  Griech.  u.  sudital.  Gebete,  22,  1.  2. 

88  For  a typical  Babylonian  incantation  against  ghosts,  see  Thompson,  Devils,  i, 
37- 

87  For  oneirology  in  later  Judaism,  see  Joel,  Der  Aberglaube,  i,  103. 

88  See  Roscher,  Ephialtes,  especially  p.  48  f.  for  the  etymology. 

88  Wessely,  xlii,  31,  top. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


83 


Or  a tyv’ka.KTripiov  cupaTOtpv'ka^  Kpog  dalpovai npbg  (pavTaopara , Trpdg  naaav  voaov  nal 

nadog  f°  another  against  enemies,  robbers,  etc.  and  <p6ftovg  and  <pavraapaTa  ovtipw*1 
These  dreams  and  the  similar  panic  fears  of  day  and  night  are  also  referred 
to  in  extenso  in  Gollancz’s  Syriac  charms.. 

(2) 

Respectable  or  “white”  magic  includes  not  merely  the  laying  of  evil 
spirits  but  counter  magic02  against  the  machinations  of  hostile  sorcerers. 
Just  so  the  Babylonian  Maklu- series  devotes  itself  to  the  rites  of  destroying 
the  witch  by  means  of  simulacra  which  are  consumed  in  the  fire ; the 
Greek  magic  has  the  same  defensive  purpose.  The  Mandaic  texts  recall 
somewhat  of  the  ancient  dread  of  witches  with  their  description  of  those 
uncanny  and  obscene  persons,  and,  as  I have  noted  above,  the  witch  and 
the  lilith  are  practically  identified. 

It  was  most  efficacious  if  the  sorcerer  were  known  so  that  he  could 
be  named  and  the  “tables  turned”  upon  him  by  casting  upon  him  his  malign 
arts,  for  no  curse  “returns  empty.”  Such  a case  appears  in  Schwab  G ; 
all  the  evils  that  have  fallen  on  the  victim  are  bidden  to  fall  on  the  head 
of  NON  12  N1D1N.  But  examination  of  the  name  reveals  that  it  is  fictitious; 
N"iDlN  means  “spellbinder”  and  NON  simply  means  “mother.”  The  writer  of 
the  bowl  has  satisfied  his  client  by  assuming  that  he  knows  the  adverse 
sorcerer’s  name.  It  is  nothing  else  than  the  legal  “John  Doe.”  In  like  man- 
ner, in  Wohlstein  2416,  all  evil  works,  etc.,  are  commanded  to  return 
against  their  instigator. 

But  inasmuch  as  the  sorcerer’s  names  are  not  generally  known,  the 
incantations  content  themselves  with  listing  the  various  kinds  of  magical 
practices  and  putting  them  under  the  potent  spell.  The  Surpu- series 
illustrates  the  prophylactic  practice;  for  instance,  its  third  tablet03  is  con- 

50  lb.,  42. 

91  lb.,  64.  Dream-magic  was  highly  developed  among  the  Greeks;  we  have 
charms  for  sending  dreams,  bveiponopnoi , e.  g.  Dieterich,  op.  cit.,  191,  1.  15.  Magic 
is  required  as  an  antidote.  Hence  dreams  are  listed  with  other  maleficent  agencies, 
e.  g. : Trvevpara  x&ovia,  apapriai , oveipot , opaoi , flaanavia ; Wessely,  xxxvi,  8l,  1.  8l. 

82  Probably  technically  expressed  by  pSa’p. 

“ Zimmern,  Beitrage,  13. 


Sd 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


cerned  with  breaking  every  possible  kind  of  ban  (■ mamit ) that  may  have 
befallen  a person.  Hence  a recurring  phrase  in  the  praxis  of  the  fifth 
tablet : 'may  the  curse,  the  ban,  the  pain,  the  misery,  the  sickness,  the 
grief,  the  sin,  the  misdeed,  the  impiety,  the  transgression,  the  sickness, 
which  is  in  my  body,  be  peeled  off  like  this  onion.”  We  mark  here  the 
union  of  curses,  etc.  with  evils  of  the  flesh,  just  as  they  occur  in  our  bowls. 

Accordingly  we  find  exorcism  effected  with  this  prudent  intention 
against  p“l3j?D,  etc.  ;'3j  pCHn  ( -f-  pEf’U),'”  "black  arts,”  perhaps  generally 
with  the  sense  of  poisoning,  = (pap/uaKoiroiia;9'0  xnriD,  “sorceries,”  39:  4 ;96 
xmp , “invocations,  (the  singular  mp  in  16:  10),  the  hnc/J/oetc  or  lepol 
>o)oi  of  maleficent  magic,' ” also  termed  the  ‘P~i  N'Spro.  There  are  the 
various  terms  or  kinds  of  curses,  the  mamit  of  the  Babylonian,  the  bp«oi 
of  the  Greek  magic;  the  NnoiS,  especially  in  Pognon’s  Mandaic  bowls, 
where  the  authors  of  these  bans  are  specified,  e.  g.  no.  15:  father,  mother, 
prostitute,  foetus,  laborer,  master  who  has  defrauded  him,  brothers;  also 
the  frequent  ’WJ,  maleficent  "vows”  and  the  SDnn,  which  is  the  Syriac 
Christian  equivalent  of  ava&epa,  perhaps  also  TIPS  (Wohlstein,  2426:  5).”* 
This  listing  of  the  bans  and  their  originators  has  its  abundant  parallel  in 
the  Babylonian  magic;  e.  g.  the  third  tablet  of  the  Surpu- series,  already 
cited,  in  which  all  possible  kinds  and  origins  of  curse  are  listed  in  165 
lines : of  father,  mother,  grandfather,  grandmother,  brother,  sister,  etc., 
posterity,  infant.””  The  unborn  child,  naturally  regarded  as  homeless  and 
miserable,  hence  a malignant  wraith,  is  classed  in  the  Babylonian  magic 

93n  For  this  and  following  technical  names  for  sorcery,  see  § 11,  beginning. 

9,1  Cf.  the  Latin  equivalents,  nefaria  sacra,  maleficia,  artes  nefandae,  malae  artes ; 
see  Abt,  Die  Apologie  des  Apuleius , 30. 

05  So  in  the  Syriac,  also  in  7:  13.  But  <pappaKov  survived  in  a good  sense  in 
literature  with  magical  tinge,  e.  g.  in  no.  30  of  Bishop  Serapion’s  prayers,  ‘‘Thy  name 
be  a <p.  for  health  and  soundness.”  For  an  extensive  discussion  of  the  word,  see 
Abt,  Apuleius,  112.  It  is  formally  impossible  to  distinguish  between  the  words 
“sorcerers”  and  “sorceries,”  except  in  the  Mandaic.  Cf.  the  use  of  the  adjective 
Ntrxnn,  39:  6. 

00  For  these  words  see  the  convenient  summary  in  T.  W.  Davies,  Magic,  Divin- 
ation and  Demonology  among  the  Hebrews  and  their  Neighbors,  44  ff. 

97  See  above,  §11.  Pognon  was  the  first  correctly  to  interpret  this  term,  B,  p.  19. 

98  In  2 : 6 we  find  Nnrainx,  snrstr,  xmuJ,  used  of  the  “white  magician’s”  own  work. 

99  A similar  list  in  Ellis  3 = Schwab  B.  In  the  later  magic  these  classes  are 
listed  in  exorcism  of  the  evil  eye. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


85 


as  in  the  Mandaic  citation  with  the  causes  of  ban,  and  so  too  the  hierodule 
or  prostitute.100  The  difference  between  the  Babylonian  mamit  and  these 
NHLDlS  is  that  the  former  has  rather  the  sense  of  taboo,  the  latter  of  a 
malicious  curse  effected  under  foul  auspices.101 

Then  there  are  the  “names,”  e.  g.  16:  8,  KnnDlGP,  of  hostile  invocations,102 
and  the  pb’D  , “words,”  curse  formulas,  including  the  informal  imprecation. 
Compare  “the  evil  word”  of  the  witch  in  Babylonian  magic,103  and  the 
current  Babylonian  phrase,  “the  evil  mouth,  the  evil  tongue,  the  evil  lip.”1M 
The  Talmud  has  the  principle,  “None  open  his  mouth  to  Satan.”105  By  a 
natural  passage  of  thought  the  tongue  and  the  mouth  come  in  for  exorcism, 

e.  g. : “Bound  and  held  be  the  mouth,  and  bound  the  tongue,  of  curses 

Bound  be  the  tongue  in  its  mouth,  held  be  its  lips,  shaken  ....  the  teeth 
and  stopped  the  ears  of  curses  and  invocations.”106  The  binding  of  the 
tongue  is  a frequent  element  in  the  Greek  magic;  some  thirty  of  the  KaraSeagoi 
in  Wiinsch’s  Appendix  of  defixiones  to  the  Corpus  Inscript.  Attic,  are  for 
binding  this  “unruly  member.”107 

Further  objects  of  exorcism  are  the  Ti,  “mysteries,”  the  sacramental 
rites  of  maleficent  cults;  the  xmODX  (Stiibe,  1.  2)  and  'IDS  (Wohlstein, 
2426:  5),  enchantments  effected  by  priests  ( p-iOO) ,108  A unique  word  in 
its  use  in  the  bowls  is  found  coupled  with  the  above  terms.  Halevy 

and  Wohlstein109  compared  form  IV  of  the  Arabic  verb  and  rendered  it  as 
a delivery  to  evil.  But  it  is  to  be  compared  with  the  Targumic  lBpB'N,  used 

100  Jastrow,  op.  cit.,  i,  367,  373. 

101  So  the  Greek  Karadeofioi  , and  the  Jewish  collection  of  charms  in  Thompson, 
“Folk  Lore  of  Mossoul,”  PSBA,  xxviii-ix. 

102  Cf.  the  names  of  Hecate  in  the  Greek  KOTadeo/uoi , e.  g.  Wiinsch,  Antike 
Fluchtafeln,  no.  1. 

103  See  Jastrow,  op.  cit.,  i,  285. 

104  Fossey,  op.  cit.,  50,  with  citations. 

105  Berak.  19a,  60a,  Ketub.  8b;  see  Joel,  Dev  Aberglaube,  i,  70  (but  rationalizing), 
and  Blau,  op.  cit.,  61,  with  Talmudic  instances. 

106  Lidz.,  4. 

107  Deissmann,  Light  from  the  Ancient  East,  307.  An  amulet  of  later  age 
(Reitzenstein,  P oimandres,  295)  analyzes  the  evil  tongue  into  the  lie,  accusation, 
magic,  sycophancy. 

108  So  rightly  Stiibe ; the  heathen  priest  was,  and  at  last  appeared  exclusively 
to  be,  a magician.  On  the  second  of  Wiinsch’s  Fluchtafeln  is  the  design  of  an  altar. 

109  Comptes  rendus,  IV,  v,  292;  ZA,  viii,  336. 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYRONIAN  SECTION. 


in  Targ.  Jer.  to  Lev.  8:  28,  etc.,  in  sense  of  dedication,  = Tun.  Its  counter- 
part is  found  in  the  Mandaic  system,  where  the  are  the  reTuuoi,110 

and  it  is  the  exact  equivalent  of  the  Greek  rt'Aerr/ 1 the  (magic)  rites.111  Also 
the  usual  terms,  the  nD’X,112  the  ’^pp,  “countercharms,”  the  nD’p,  etc.,  all 
are  listed  for  exorcism. 

More  obscure  are  the  xmno  ( Ellis  3 : 10)  = “hidden  arts”  — with 
which  may  be  possibly  compared  the  xrmE'  of  Schwab  R,  and  Wohlstein, 
2426:  6. 1,3  Also  the  NnDip'C.*’  (once  xnsipnC’X ) have  aroused  question. 
Schwab  proposed  ^ipc\  “envisager,”  of  the  evil  eye ; Stiibe,  Wohlstein, 
Lidzbarski,  connect  with  the  root  “to  knock”  (cf.  ^pL*’  used  of  a Lilith, 
11  : 6). 114  This  meaning  is  corroborated  by  the  amulet  of  Lidzbarski’s  just 
cited,  where  it  is  parallel  to  N'inn  and  xnp(l.  11  ff  -)-),  wasting  and  mishap. 
But  from  its  peculiar  intensive  form  I think  the  word  must  have  some  con- 
nection with  magic  arts;  cf.  the  modern  spiritualistic  knockings  and 
rappings. 

Probably  the  exorcism  in  the  fragment  published  by  Schwab,  PSBA, 
xii,  299,  from  sin  and  guilt  (xnson,  NO’C’S),  immediately  after  “arts”  and 

110  Brandt,  Mand.  ReL,  120,  170;  Mand.  Schr.,  8,  n.  5,  36,  n.  1;  Noldeke,  Mand. 
Gram.,  p.  xxviii. 

111  Dieterich,  Abraxas,  136.  Stiibe  (p.  37)  first  offered  the  explanation  given 

above.  Pognon  discusses  an  obscure  phrase  in  his  bowls  paxno^trxi  ns'ne  (B,  p.  49), 
translating  “and  their  adherents.”  Lidzbarski  treating  the  same  phrase  ( Eph . i,  94) 
rightly  takes  exception  to  such  a form  and  translates,  “I  deliver  them,”  which  is 
unsatisfactory.  Probably  our  noun  is  to  be  understood  here,  reading  the  nominal 
suffix  |1 — for  the  verbal  pa’ — . Our  word  may  be  a translation  of  the  Greek  etj?; 
but  n.  b.  Robertson  Smith’s  note  on  the  mystery  idea  involved  in  aslama  (he  might 
have  added  the  Hebrew  Rcl.  Sem.,  80. 

1,2  Noldeke,  Z.  f.  Keils.-forsch.,  ii,  299,  animadverting  upon  Hyvernat  holds  that 
XiD’X,  translated  “prince,  angel,”  always  means  “charm.”  Now  the  parallelism  in 
Wohlstein  2422  between  xntr’23  man  ’“ID'S,  1.  7,  and  'a  'an  ’ax^ra,  1.  15  (see  above, 
n.  70),  appears  to  approve  Hyvernat,  while  in  the  Talmud  'x  = “genius,  angel” 
(e.  g.  ’aitan  'X,  angel  of  nourishment).  But  Noldeke’s  etymology  is  doubtless  right; 
a genius  to  be  invoked  was  himself  called  an  incantamentum.  A proof  of  this  is 
found  in  the  Mandaic  amulet  published  by  Lidzbarski  in  the  Florilegium  dedicated 
to  de  Vogue,  p.  34g,  in  1.  29  f.  (not  understood  by  the  editor— cf.  1.  210),  where  Hibel 
Ziwa  is  the  xtatrian  xiqj,  “the  True  Charm”;  ’a  = xm’p  = xno’x.  Cf.  the  Mandaic 
genius  “Great  Mystery.” 

“3  Wohlstein:  “bose  Schickungen” ; or  it  may  be  related  to  Assyrian  sataru, 
sadaru,  “write,”  of  a written  charm. 

114  So  in  a Babylonian  text,  of  demons : “The  man  they  strike,  the  women  they 
hit,”  Fossey,  op.  cit.,  282. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


87 


“vows,”  with  which  compare  the  DJ?E’K  in  his  text  M 18,  is  exercised 
against  practices  which  magically  placed  “sin”  on  the  shoulders  of  some 
innocent  person.  Compare  the  symbol  in  Zecharia’s  vision  of  the  removal 
of  wickedness  and  its  curse  to  the  land  of  Shinar  ( Zech . 5).  But  there 
is  doubtless  a reminiscence  here  of  the  old  Babylonian  forms  in  which  a 
sense  of  personal  guilt  appears  in  the  incantations ; so  frequently  in  tablets 
5 and  6 of  the  Surpu- series,  e.  g.  5,  1.  77  ff.,  where  the  summary  is  made  of 
“the  curse,  the  ban,  the  pain,  the  misery,  the  sickness,  the  ailment,  the  sin 
(ami),  the  misdeed  ( serti ),  the  offence  (hablati),  the  transgression 
( hititi ).”  The  above  would  be  the  only  case  then  of  a sense  of  sin  in 
our  texts,  but  from  the  point  of  view  that  the  sin  has  been  inspired  by  a 
demoniac  force.  Heitmiiller  pertinently  remarks  :115  “Die  Siinde  ist  ein  Art 
Besessenheit.”  And  so  sins  are  listed  in  the  Greek  objects  of  exorcism,  e.  g. 

TTVEvfiaTa  ^i9owa,  apaprtai , oveipoi,  opuoi , [3arTKavtai.UR 

The  malice  (KWD  = xrifcOD)  of  Lidz.  4 is  the  enmity  which  magic 
could  conjure  up  against  an  enemy,  a dreaded  means  of  revenge,  and  very 
frequent  in  ancient  magic.  Compare  the  Jewish  charms  from  Mossoul 
having  this  specific  object,”7  and  for  the  Greek  world  the  Cypriote  leaden 
tablets  published  by  Miss  L.  MacDonald,118  in  which  the  gods  are  constantly 
invoked  to  suppress  the  wrath  and  anger  and  power  and  might  of  the 
adversary.119  A tablet  to  provoke  such  malice  against  an  enemy  is  no.  2 
in  Wunsch’s  small  collection.120  The  b'n  or  b'n  (30:  4)  is  a 

summing  up  or  personification  of  all  this  kind  of  evil  potency. 

Particularly  dreaded  were  the  material  means  of  sorcery,  amulets,  etc., 
which  themselves  came  to  be  personified  into  evil  spirits.  The  most 
frequent  of  these  objects  of  exorcism  are  the  ’HOiri  (sing.  xmttin),121  small 
stones,  beads,  etc.,  carried  singly,  or  on  strings  and  necklaces,  primarily 
used  as  amulets,  but  coming  to  possess  at  least  in  the  Mandaic  superstition 

“5  Op.  cit.,  307. 

116  Wessely,  xxxvi,  81,  1.  1443  ff.  (the  Paris  Papyrus). 

117  Thompson,  PSBA,  xxviii,  106,  108,  etc. 

118  lb.,  xiii,  160. 

Cf.  the  charm  in  Wessely,  xlii,  60  f. 

120  See  the  editor’s  comment,  p.  8. 

121  For  their  character  as  spirits,  see  Noldeke,  Maud.  Gram.,  76. 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


a baneful  influence.122  We  might  think  of  the  manipulation  of,  for  instance, 
an  opal  to  bring  another  ill-luck;  but  probably  the  objects  are  more  obscene, 
joints  of  dead  men’s  bones,  etc.  Their  standing  epithet  is  “impious,” — 
XITJTT  'n  , and  we  read  of  their  “tongue,”  e.  g.  2 : 7.123  The  Nnpiy  , “neck- 
lace charms”  are  exorcised  in  like  manner,124  also  the  pTB'  (15:  6,  q.  v.)  f~° 
XD’2  , “pebble,”  Ellis  3:  11,  would  belong  to  the  same  class,  but  it  is  prob- 
ably to  be  read  XDn. 

The  magic  bowls  themselves  are  among  the  evil  influences  (7:  13, 
perhaps  Ellis  /.  c.),  and  so  the  magic  knots,  ''“lO'p , 7:  13,  and  Hp'j?  (?) 
34:  10.  There  is  one  reference  to  the  magic  circle  of  the  doctors  of  sorcery, 
N’OXin  ~iXfn,K'J  and  to  the  use  of  wax,  XTp,  both  in  39:  7 (q.  v.).  The 
’JiD  of  7:  11  (q.  v.)  and  the  'Smii  of  Pognon  B,  no.  27,  may  be  explained 
like  "ixrn  = circles.  The  ’a’T  of  7:  13  (q.  v.),  entered  between  the  “arts” 
and  “bowl,”  may  be  the  hairs  of  the  victim  as  used  in  magic. 


152  The  museums  of  antiquities  possess  many  such  necklace  charms,  which  are 
often  composed  of  stones  of  the  shape  of  a drop  or  an  eye — prophylactic  against 
the  evil  eye?  See  for  example,  the  illustrations  to  the  art.  “Amuletum”  in  Daremberg 
and  Saglio,  Dictionnaire  des  antiquites  grec.  et  rom;  Elworthy,  The  Evil  Eye,  fig. 
2i.  For  the  use  of  stones  in  Babylonian  magic,  see  the  3d  tablet  of  the  Labartu- 
series  and  Myhrman’s  note  thereon,  ZA,  xvi,  151 ; cf.  Jastrow,  op.  cit.,  i,  338,  and 
Thompson,  Semitic  Magic,  p.  lxiii.  In  Syriac  XiDin  is  also  used  of  the  joints  of  the 
vertebra  = the  sappu  of  the  ass  as  prescribed  in  the  Labartu  texts.  With  this  cf. 
the  prescription  of  parvuni  asini  freni  anulum  in  digito  portandum,  Cyranides  ii,  15, 
6,  ed.  Mely  and  Ruelle,  Les  lapidaires  grecs,  Paris,  1898,  quoted  by  Tambornino,  De 
ant.  daemonismo,  83.  The  mystical  properties  of  stones  in  Egyptian  lore  is  well 
known,  and  they  were  associated  with  the  metals  and  planets ; see  Berthelot,  Les 
origines  d’alchimie,  Paris,  1885,  47,  218  ff.,  etc.  For  the  use  of  stones  and  bones  as 
prophylactics  against  the  evil  eye,  see  Seligmann,  Der  bose  Blick,  ii,  24,  141  ff.  For 
Hellenistic  references  and  bibliography,  see  Abt,  Apuleius,  1 1 5.  Buxtorf  and  Eevy,  in 
their  dictionaries,  s.  v.,  and  Grunbaum,  ZDMG,  xxxi,  263,  understand  these  charms  as 
pearls  or  corals. 

123  Cf.  the  gayvr/c  irveuv ; see  Abt,  op.  cit.,  115,  121,  and  n.  b.  the  baitulia 

described  as  L1A01.  e/j.fvxot  by  Philo  of  Bvblos,  Eusebius,  Praep.  evang.,  i,  6. 

324  Once,  as  though  misunderstood,  masculinized.  ’p3X,  12.  9;  also  xnpjx. 

125  For  these  articles  see  Krauss,  Tahnudische  Archaologie,  i,  203  ff. ; Blau,  op. 
cit.,  91. 

126  For  the  Babylonian  ideas  of  the  virtue  of  the  circle,  see  above,  § 8.  Choni, 

the  famous  rainmaker  in  the  Talmud,  was  called  , the  circle-drawer,  because 

of  his  use  of  this  device,  Taanith  3 : 8 ; see  Blau,  op.  cit.,  33.  According  to  Joel,  op. 
cit.,  i,  33,  Choni  was  an  Essene,  but  he  appears  to  have  stood  in  good  repute  with  the 
orthodox. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


89 


To  that  very  malignant  potency,  the  Evil  Eye— Nature’s  endowment 
of  sorcery — there  is  comparatively  little  reference  in  the  bowls,  although 
in  the  later  magic  of  East  and  West  it  is  often  the  chief,  if  not  the  sole 
object  of  exorcism.127  The  longest  pertinent  passage  in  the  Nippur  texts 
is  30 : 3 f . : “the  eye  of  man  or  woman,128  the  eye  of  contumely,  the  eye  that 
looks  right  into  the  heart.”  By  the  word  NlNEn  Pognon,  B,  p.  41, 
thinks  is  meant  one  who  casts  the  evil  eye.  Or  from  its  idea  of  “beckoning’’ 
may  it  be  connected  with  the  malicious  “putting  forth  of  the  finger,”  e.  g. 
Is.  58:  g and  cf.  possibly  Code  Hammurabi,  § 123.  Griinbaum  is  doubtless 
right  in  holding120  that  among  the  Jews  the  evil  eye  was  of  a different  char- 
acter from  the  western  Jettatura,  referring  rather,  as  also  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment (cf.  also  Alt.  20:  15),  to  the  moral  powers  of  envy,  hatred,  and  so 
forth;  the  evil  eye  is  rationalized  and  moralized.  Wellhausen  also  notes 
the  connection  of  the  evil  eye  and  envy  in  early  Arabian  thought.1’" 

(3) 

We  come  now  to  those  objects  of  exorcism  which  to  modern  science 
and  “common  sense”  appear  as  natural  physical  or  psychical  maladies,  but 
which  ancient  thought  regarded  as  actuated  by  demons,  even  to  the  extent 
that  the  malady  in  question  was  personified  as  an  evil  spirit.  It  is  a question 
how  far  we  have  in  this  phenomenon  the  survival  of  ancient  animism  which 
peopled  the  universe  with  spirits  good  and  evil,  and  how  far  in  the  fin  de 
siccle  magic  of  these  bowls  we  have  the  result  of  a (poetical?)  personifi- 
cation of  evil  which  comes  to  be  taken  as  real  by  the  superstitious  mind. 
The  ancient  demonology  survives  but  it  is  reinforced  by  the  hypostatizations 
and  personifications  of  the  play  and  fancy  of  the  later  mind,  working  some- 
times in  the  field  of  a worse  superstition,  sometimes  at  the  service  of  the 
free  and  philosophic  imagination.131  In  the  Old  Testament  the  Word,  the 

127  For  Talmudic  notions,  see  Blau,  Zauberwesen,  152;  Joel,  Aberglanbe,  i,  74. 

128  A Palestinian  amulet  published  by  the  writer  in  JAOS,  1911,  281:  “from  the 
eye  of  his  father,  mother,  women,  men,  virgins  ....  ailment  and  shame  and  spirit 
and  demons.” 

129  ZDMG,  xxxi,  260  f. 

130  Reste  arab.  Held.,  143. 

m Cf.  the  issue  of  the  Platonic  Ideas  into  the  Gnostic  Aeons. 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


Spirit  of  Yahwe,  even  his  Sword  (Am.  9:  4.  ef.  Gen.  3:  24),  are  person- 
ified; the  evil  spirit  of  Yahwe  (1  Ki.  22)  becomes  in  the  end  an  evil  spirit 
antagonistic  to  its  origin;  the  sevenfold  gift  of  the  Spirit  in  Is.  11,  2, 
Greek  text,  issues  in  the  Seven  Spirits  about  the  throne  of  God,  Rev.  1 ; 4. 
And  so  the  Chariot  and  the  Wheels  and  the  Beasts  that  accompany  God’s 
theophany  came  under  the  same  treatment  of  mystical  personification.132  It 
is  a similar  phenomenon  that  we  find  in  the  Testament  of  Solomon;  the 
seven  demons  brought  to  book  by  Solomon  give  their  names  as  “Deception, 
Strife,  Battle,”  etc.  or  the  thirty-six  elements  ( a-oixeia ) are  hypostatized 
into  moral  essences  ;133  and  in  the  same  manner  the  Church  personified  the 
Seven  Deadly  Sins,  which  the  Protestant  Spenser  dramatized  in  his  perfect 
poetry.  For  various  psychological  reasons  there  was  an  increasing  multi- 
plication of  the  evils  against  which  exorcism  might  be  practiced ; not  only 
specific  demons,  like  Tin  the  Babylonian  fiend  of  headache,  but  diseases 
under  other  names,  and  social  evils  such  as  enemies,  loss  of  property,  shame, 
might  be  exorcised.  Probably  the  more  intelligent  man  regarded  this  as  a 
rational  substitution  for  the  elder  demonology,  while  to  the  superstitious  it 
merely  meant  more  demons.  At  all  events  in  the  later  magic  we  find  more 
of  the  hypostatization  of  natural  ills — how  seriously  it  is  to  be  taken  is  not 
always  certain,  and  their  commonplace  names  are  simply  given,  whereas 
the  old  Babylonian  magic  would  name  the  demoniac  germ  of  the  malady. 
Hence  in  our  lists  of  exorcised  ills  we  have  in  addition  to  the  actual  devils, 
already  catalogued,  series  of  evils  which  are  somewhat  on  the  borderland  of 
diabolology.'  The  old  exorcisms  still  are  effective  but  the  old  demonology 
is  not  ample  enough ; a man  wants  to  exorcise  headache,  while  he  may  be 
skeptical  as  to  the  existence  of  Tiu.  Probably  too  as  the  exorcist  (“medicine 
man”)  was  also  the  physician,  and  medicine  was  born  out  of  magic  rites, 
we  may  observe  in  the  naming  of  the  actual  maladies  an  intrusion  of  the 
rational  spirit.134 

135  So  the  “thrones,  dominions,  principalities,  powers,”  of  Paul  (Col.  1:  16); 
not  only  Gnosticism  worked  out  this  line  of  thought  but  also  the  Church  took  this 
heavenly  hierarchy  seriously. 

133  JQR,  ix,  24,  34.  So  in  Hennas,  the  vices  of  the  tongue  are  called  SaifiSvia 
Karalalia , etc.)  Mand.,  ii,  2:  3;  cf.  v,  2:  7;  xii,  2:  2. 

134  Ahhazu  becomes  the  name  of  a certain  fever  (a  “yellow”  fever),  Kiichler, 
Beitr.  a.  Kenntniss  d.  ass.-bab.  Medesin,  61.  N.  B.  the  assignment  of  the  several 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


91 


In  the  Babylonian  we  find  cases  in  the  magical  texts  of  the  summariz- 
ing of  specific  maladies  along  with  the  demons.  A long  and  interesting 
example  is  presented  by  Jastrow.135  The  series  is  introduced  by  a list  of 
physical  ills — contortions,  broken  limbs,  affection  of  liver,  heart,  gall- 
bladder, etc.  Then  follow  the  evil  eye,  curses,  calumny,  etc.,  and  then 
certain  named  demons;  the  text  is  an  interesting  predecessor  of  our  inscrip- 
tions except  that  it  places  the  maladies  first.  Is  this  the  consequence  of  a 
rationalistic  tendency?  In  the  texts  published  by  Kiichler  we  find  semi- 
magical  prescriptions  for  diseases  alone. 

The  New  Testament  gives  a first-hand  insight  into  the  popular  demon- 
ology of  a representative  portion  of  the  oriental  world  at  the  beginning  of 
our  era.  We  find  there  devils  of  dumbness  and  deafness  and  blindness 
( Mt . 12:  22, M/e.  9:  17,  etc.);  one  woman  had  “a  spirit  of  infirmity,” 
TTvev/ia  ao&eveiac } L,u.  1 3 : ii  ; Simon’s  mother-in-law  was  seized  with  a great 
fever  and  Jesus  rebuked  the  fever,  em? ripr/aev136  ro  irvpeTti™  even  as  in  another 
case  he  rebuked  the  wind.  And  Jesus  gave  his  disciples  power  “over  un- 
clean spirits  to  cast  them  out  and  heal  every  disease  and  every  malady,” 
Mt.  io.138 

In  the  Egyptian  magic  there  is  the  like  identification  of  diseases  with 
demons,’69  and  the  Greek  magical  papyri  are  full  of  it.  Cf.  the  title  of  a 

charm  given  by  Wessely,  <j>vXaKT//ptov  augaTO<t>v?iat;  npog  daipiovag,  Trpb<;  (pavraapara, 
npbc  naaav  vooov  nai  nation  J40  So  in  the  samples  of  Syriac  charms  published 
by  Gollancz141  we  have  the  same  summarization  of  “all  manners  of  diseases” 
along  with  the  demons,  e.  g.  p.  79 : Exorcised,  etc.  be  “all  demons,  devils, 
phantoms,  every  practice,  all  temptations,  unclean  spirits,  cruel  dreams,  dark 

demons,  asakku,  namtaru,  etc.,  to  the  different  parts  of  the  body,  head,  throat,  etc.; 
Myhrman  ZA,,xv i,  146. 

135  Rel.  Bab.  it.  Ass.,  i,  367  ff.  As  Jastrow  says,  we  gain  here  “a  further  insight 
into  the  connection  between  the  medical  calling  and  that  of  the  exorcist.”  Other 
examples,  Thompson,  Devils,  i,  17,  145,  etc. 

536  = Hebrew  “iyJ. 

331  An  angel  ayyeAog,  of  fever,  et  al.,  appears  in  Byzantine  charms;  see  Reitzen- 
stein,  Poimandres,  19.  It  is  the  Rabbinic  NiD’K,  discussed  above,  n.  112. 

138  See  at  length  Conybeare,  JQR,  viii,  583,  etc. 

139  Cases  cited  by  Budge,  Egyptian  Magic,  206  ff. 

140  xlii,  39,  1.  589. 

141  Actes  du  iiieme  Congres  des  Orientalistes,  Section  4,  77. 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYEONIAN  SECTION. 


apparitions ; fear1'2  and  trembling,  terror  and  surprise,  dread,  anxiety, 
excessive  weeping;  fever-panic,  tertian  fever,  all  kinds  of  fever,  febrile 
ills,  inflammations,  etc. ; when  a child  troubles  its  mother  with  pains  of 
travail  ;143  tumors,  pestilences,  ....  all  pains  and  all  sicknesses,  all  wounds 
and  all  oppositions,  surprises,  revenges  ....  the  nine  sicknesses,”  etc.  And 
Vassiliev  has  published  a number  of  Byzantine  charms  directed  especially 
against  specific  diseases,144  the  first  of  which  is  a general  panacea : bpA Co  vpag 
Trdvra  ra  ducip^ara  tt ve'rfiara,  7]  fiacKaina,  7/  (j)ap/uaK8/a,  7/  tyoftepicrpbc,  7)  QptKTj,  7/  nvperbc , 
7]  ETtifiovTiov,  //  GvvdvTTjfia 145  TTovrjpbv,  7/  vooepbv , 7/  Ku(pbi>,  7/  rvcpAov,  7/  aAaXov,  7j  ceAiivianbv, 
//  pTj'&eig  ( sic ) Zavarov , 7/  ciAAoiorpevov,  7/  poptynvpEvov,  7/  apoev,  7/  77  7/?.  v,  7/  voorjparuv 

(sic). 

The  most  common  of  the  demoniac  categories  bearing  upon  physical 
maladies  are  those  with  the  general  significance  of  “stroke,  plague” : NyJJ 
especially  epidemic  disease,  NE31C’;  ’yJS,  and  n.  b.  JVJJJS  16:  io ; SDino, 
Mand.  NJTTiO;  LD'C?  34:  io,  39:  4 ;147  also  the  NDDn,  “sufferings.”148 

Cf.  Ps.  91  : 5,  a psalm  and  a verse  which  the  Jews  regarded  as  a valuable 
phylactery,  and  Ps.  89 : 33.  The  Nnaip^’  treated  above  may  be  included 
here,  = pairiafia. 

It  is  a minority  of  the  bowl  inscriptions  which  refer  to  special  diseases. 
Of  our  texts  Nos.  11,  16,  24,  29,  34,  are  of  this  character;  so  also  a clause 
in  Lidzbarski  5;  lists  of  diseases  appear  in  Wohlstein  2422,  apparently 
mostly  cutaneous  affections,149  and  at  the  end  of  Schwab  G. 

142  Fears  are  a frequent  object  of  exorcism  in  the  Greek  magic,  e.  g.  Wessely,  xlii, 
64,  1.  25,  and  collation  of  the  subject  by  Tambornino,  De  ant.  daemonismo,  58,  65  f. ; 
see  also  Dieterich,  Abraxas,  86  f. 

143  This  in  earlier  magic  would  have  been  ascribed  to  the  jealous  Lilith. 

144  Anecdota  graeco-byzantina,  i,  332. 

145  Cf.  Dieterich,  Abraxas,  196,  1.  21,  etc.;  explained  by  Pradel  as  of  a demon’s 
occurrehce,  Siid-ital.  Gebete,  96.  So  in  Schwab  G,  xfi’ip,  and  cf.  use  of  verb  ~ sip. 

140  For  a survey  of  the  Flellenistic  personifications  of  disease,  see  Tambornino, 
op.  cit.,  62  ff. ; e.  g.  insanity  = Mania;  Febris,  etc.;  also  see  Reitzenstein,  Poimandres, 
19,  Wendland,  Die  hellenistisch-rbmische  Kultur,  125. 

147  Cf.  the  prayer  of  the  Bishop  Serapion  directed  against  n-daa  7 rlr/yrj,  Tzaaa  paarc^, 
....  pamopa  , in  Wobbermin,  Altchristliche  liturg.  Stiicke,  in  Texte  u.  Untersuchungen, 
N.  F.,  xvii,  2,  p.  13. 

743  The  xnxDn,  Schw.  M:  17,  right  after  “arts”  and  before  t?'3  nycx  may  refer  to 
tortures  inflicted  by  magical  operations. 

149  See  Frankel’s  criticism  of  readings,  ZA,  ix,  308. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


93 


We  find  listed  general  names  of  diseases,  e.  g.  'T’p  ’FTVD,  'TD,  pyiNQ; 
a large  number  of  cutaneous  diseases:  N1U,  rpf'Tn,  nrnnn,  smaan,  NDin, 
DIDin;100  a series  in  24:  2:  NJVfN,  NJ)N,  N’flt’N,  probably  fevers.  In  Schwab 
G we  read  of  'Hp'N  (=  Wohlstein,  ,"ip'1,  “fevers”),  N^on,  NftSy,  xntTN  and 
NJiE’N  (neo-Syriac,  malarial  fever),101  NCTy  (“swelling”?),  NnsinE’  (“con- 
sumption,” Rabb.  nsntr)  '£”2  'D  (P).1""  xmyE’,  11:  2,  is  possibly  “fever.” 
The  demons  referred  to  in  34:  10  (q.  v.)  may  be  the  spirits  of  cancer, 

tumor  of  the  eye,  dysentery,  and  in  1.  13  palsy  of  hand  and  foot.153  A long 

list  of  fevers  is  presented  in  the  first  of  Gollancz’s  Syriac  charms. 

In  the  Berlin  bowl  2416  Wohlstein  reads  a certain  affection  as  TT 
Nnca,  translating  it  “bdser  Fluss” ; Stiibe  reads  it  ;2  TT,  interpreting 
it,  by  a desperate  solution,  as  the  sacrificial  jugular  vein  which  he  supposes 
was  used  as  a maleficent  charm.  Jastrow  in  his  Lexicon  gives  both  Til 

and  Tn\  = leucoma  of  the  eye  (again  the  same  confusion  of  T and  "1 

as  in  the  word  NUT  discussed  above),1"4  The  correct  spelling  is  TT 
and  it  is  closely  related  to  DT3D  , “blindness,”  Gen.  19:  11,  2 Ki,  6:  18. 
The  root  is  parallel  to  Tin  “be  clear,  bright”  (cf.  the  Assyrian)  ;155  the 
sense  of  blindness  in  connection  with  this  root  arose  from  the  fact  that 
the  sun  produces  blindness  (eye-diseases  are  most  common  in  the  Orient), 
or  from  the  dazzling  sensation  suffered  by  those  affected  with  certain 
optical  diseases. 

No.  29:  7 we  have  a characteristic  magical  prescription  for  a woman 
who  is  exorcised  from  the  various  categories  of  devils  and  charms  (Nfipjy) 


100  For  these  and  the  following  terms,  see  Glossary  C. 

151  A disease  asu  in  Assyrian,  Kiichler,  op.  cit.,  131,  197. 

102  Wohlstein,  2422:  20,  dropsy  or  urinary  affection?  Frankel  (ib.,  309)  eft. 
Hull.  105b,  and  explains  as  “water  from  which  a demon  has  drunk.”  It  may  be  the 
eye-disease  known  to  the  Jews  as  “water,”  see  Preuss  (cited  in  next  note),  p.  305. 

153  For  the  diseases  in  the  Bible  and  Talmud  see  Jewish  Encyc.  art.  “Medicine,” 
and  iv,  517  f.  for  demons  of  diseases,  with  bibliography,  viii,  413  f. ; noteworthy 
treatments  that  have  since  appeared  are  Krauss,  Talmudische  Archaolotjie,  i,  § 104, 
J.  Preuss,  Biblisch-talmudische  Medezin,  1911  (with  extensive  bibliography),  while 
Fishberg,  The  Jezvs,  1911,  cc.  13-15,  may  be  consulted  with  profit.  Many  of  the  medical 
terms  in  the  bowls  are  not  to  be  found  in  the  Jewish  literature. 

154  For  this  “Yarod”  disease,  see  Preuss,  op.  cit.,  308.  He  notices  also  the  eye- 
disease  T,  a form  of  our  word,  p.  310. 

155  The  Talmudic  formula  against  blindness,  Shabriri,  briri,  riri,  ri,  Ab.  Z.  12b, 
etc.,  is  formed  from  this  root. 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYI.ONIAN  SECTION. 


and  then  from  NDS'D , a menstruation  malady  ( ?)  ; then  are  mentioned 
N"m  NEOTi  Nn^33D  which  are  evidently  the  causes  of  feminine  irregu- 
larities, followed  by  'ClU,  “pollutions”  (fluxes?),  and  the  kSe'3  13,  probably 
epilepsy.  In  a badly  arranged  series  in  No.  16  we  find  (1.  9)  the  "HD  nn 
'Stun , literally  “the  spirit  (=  breath?)  of  stench  and  asthma,”  i.  e.  of  the 
foul  or  labored  breath  symptomatic  of  diseases  (see  ad  loc.).  In  11:3  f., 
again  a charm  for  a woman,  after  the  list  of  demons  appear  itmpy  and  ttrtan 
which  we  should  translate  “barrenness”  and  “bereavement,”  understanding 
them  as  personified.156  But  in  the  parallel  Mandaic  text  of  Lidzbarski’s 
(see  to  No.  n)  bereavement  has  become  a Lilith  ( xnGA  xnSasn,  ;n  = 
takkcilta).  Which  is  the  original  of  these  forms?  In  34:  10  xnopi  jriyat* 
might  be  rendered,  “ugliness  and  distortion,”  with  which  compare  the 
charms  of  the  Greek  youths  in  the  papyri  for  health,  good  looks,  etc.157 

Another  class  of  evils  are  those  of  a social  nature.  So  poverty  smr^D'D, 
figures  in  34:  12,  but  from  two  other  passages  we  see  that  it  is  the  hostile 
witchcraft  that  would  effect  poverty  in  the  victim’s  life  which  is  exorcised: 
'm  mox,  “the  genius  of  poverty,”  16:  10,  and  Lidz..  4:  xnpfc?  NJYHpN  plSTi 
'01,  where  “distress”  and  “sickness”  are  epexegetical  to  “invocations.” 
Again  in  34:  12  is  found  an  exorcism  against  all  kinds  of  losses:  frO'T 
Nairn  NODnn  .nyv’  in  7:  11  are  troubles  involving  shame.158 

We  mark  that  the  rationalization  of  maladies  had  not  gone  very  far ; 
the  decadent  Babylonians  were  satisfied  with  the  exorcism  of  devils  and 
witchcraft  and  avoided  the  diagnosis  of  diseases.  For  modern  magical 
practice  in  this  field  see  the  collection  of  Jewish  charms  published  by  R. 
C.  Thompson,  “Folklore  of  Mossoul,”  PSBA,  1906-7.  In  these  the  spirits 
have  fled,  but  the  ancient  magical  practices  remain  effective. 

156  Cf.  the  constant  personification  in  Greek  magic  of  [iacKavia . 

E.  g.  Dieterich,  Abraxas,  197,  1.  3. 

158  Cf.  the  nyvi  Cl  no  of  my  amulet  published  in  JAOS,  1911.  281. 


§ i3-  Propitious  Angels,  Deities,  Etc. 


In  the  Babylonian  exorcistic  system  the  beneficent  gods  and  spirits 
were  arrayed  and  invoked  against  the  demons  and  ills  that  affected  human 
kind.  Jastrow  gives  a specimen  of  such  an  invocation  of  some  twenty 
deities1  and  discusses  at  length  these  various  lists  and  their  orders.2  In 
another  example,  given  by  Reisner,3  fifty  great  gods,  seven  gods  of  destiny, 
300  Annunaki  of  heaven  and  600  of  earth,  are  invoked.  It  is  not  inevitable 
then  that  we  must  go  to  Persian  dualism  to  discover  the  origin  of  the 
Jewish  angelology.  Absolute  monotheism  with  its  desire  that  the  one  God 
be  exalted  alone  broke  down  before  the  specious  and  alluring  argument  that 
there  must  be  more  who  are  with  us  than  those  who  are  against  us  (2  Ki. 
6:  16). 

It  is  to  be  premised  that  in  many  of  our  texts  the  religious  element  is 
very  deficient;  reliance  is  placed  upon  bans  and  formulas  with  often  no 
reference  to  Deity  or  other  personal  agencies  of  friendly  character.  Those 
inscriptions  in  which  such  supernatural  agencies  apart  from  God  are 
invoked  may  be  divided  into  three  classes,  representing  so  many  distinct 
origins.  There  are  those  in  which  the  well  known  names  and  name- 
formations  of  the  Jewish  angelology  appear;  although,  as  remarked  above, 
§ 12,  the  word  “angel”  is  not  used  in  all  cases  in  the  usual  Jewish  sense 
(often  = deity).  Then  there  are  the  genii  of  the  Mandaic  religion, 
mostly  with  names  of  outlandish  formation.  And  finally  there  are  the 
invocations  of  evidently  pagan  origin  in  which  deities  are  named,  although 
unfortunately  most  of  their  names  are  obscure  or  perverted  by  the  text 
tradition.  Further  these  different  elements  are  confused  and  what  appears 
like  a good  Jewish  text  at  times  admits  a pagan  deity  into  its  celestial 


1 From  the  Surpu-senes,  iv,  1.  68  ff. 

3 Rel.  Bab.  u.  Ass.,  i,  289. 

3 Sum.-bab.  Hymnen,  iv,  1.  152  ff. 


(95) 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


hierarchy— somewhat  as  the  mediaeval  Church  came  to  canonize  the 
Buddha. 

( 1 ) (  We  need  not  dwell  long  upon  the  Mandaic  genii.  Pognon  has 

given  a survey  of  those  occurring  in  his  bowls,4  to  which  may  be  added  a 
few  more  from  Lidzbarski’s  and  my  texts.  Some  of  the  names  are  pat- 
terned after  the  Jewish  angelic  nomenclature,  e.  g.  b’yDTiy  (=  Sssn),  or 
have  forms  in  -ai,  e.  g.  \XTijn,  called  “angels”  (No.  38),  or  we 

find  a name  DUNnosp  patterned  after  the  obscure  Mandaic  principles 
Piriawis  and  Sindiriawis.  A number  of  the  names  are  not  found  in  the 
known  Mandaic  literature.5 

(2)  The  angelology  of  the  apparently  Jewish  texts  and  the  angelic 
nomenclature  are  not  as  elaborate  as  we  find  in  later  Jewish  literature,  e.  g. 
the  Sword  of  Moses 6 7 or  the  Sefer  Razielf  the  bulk  of  which  consists  of 
lists  of  angelic  names.8  The  majority  of  our  texts  have  no  such  names. 
The  most  common  angels  are  Michael,  Gabriel,  Raphael.  As  a rule  the 
names  are  formed  in  -cl,  although  other  formations  appear  and  quite  un- 
Jewish  potencies  are  brought  in  as  angels.  Our  texts  stand  on  the  border- 
land of  Jewish  angelology  and  not  within  its  orthodox  development. 

Taking  up  first  the  known  angels,  we  find  that  Michael  does  not  have 
necessary  precedence.8  He  sometimes  appears  in  the  first  place  followed 
by  Gabriel,  Raphael,  Nuriel,  ct  ai.  (e.  g.  Nos.  14,  34,  Hvv.),  but  as  often 
the  order  has  Gabriel  first, — Gabriel,  Michael,  Raphael  (Nos.  7,  20. 
Myhrman,  Wohlstein  2422,  2416),  or  Gabriel  occurs  without  Michael  (e.  g. 

4 B,  p.  93. 

5 In  Ellis  1 the  Mandaic  genius  Abatur  is  an  evil  spirit,  and  is  classed  among 

the  ghostly  spirits  in  Wohlstein,  2417:  6.  N.  B.  the  occurrence  of  this  name  as 

Abyater  in  an  Ethiopic  apocryphon,  Littmann,  JAOS,  xxv,  28.  Afriel,  ib.,  29,  is  a 
form  of  Raphael,  corresponding  to  the  form  occurring  in  the  bowls;  see  Glossary 
A,  s.  v. 

6 Gaster,  Journ.  Royal  Asiatic  Soc.,  1896,  and  in  separate  imprint. 

7 Composed  by  Eleazar  of  Worms,  13th  cent. 

8 See,  in  general,  Schwab,  Dictionnaire  de  I’angelologie,  1897  (in  Memoires  of 

Academy  of  Inscriptions  and  Belles-lettres,  Series  1,  vol.  10,  part  2).  The  Essenes 

laid  great  stress  on  the  names  of  angels,  Josephus,  Bell,  jud.,  ii,  8:  7. 

51  See  Lueken,  Michael,  1898,  especially  § 4. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


97 


Nos.  io,  1 5). 10  The  latter  order  is  of  course  that  of  their  appearance  in 
the  Jewish  literature  (Old  Testament  and  Tobit).  Other  angels  may  pre- 
cede these  or  occur  without  them.  Aniel  appears  as  the  fourth  in  a tetrad 
(Wohlstein  2416). 

The  title  peculiar  to  Michael  in  Jewish  lore,  the  Great  Prince,  bl*un  “iB>n 
(Dan.  12,  Aboda  Z.  42b,  etc.),  appears  in  5:3,  but  without  specific  refer- 
ence, and  at  the  end  of  No.  7 in  the  list  of  angels,  which  in 

its  occurrence  at  the  beginning  of  the  text  names  Gabriel  first,  Armasa  is 

“the  great  lord” ; so  the  application  of  the  epithet  is  uncertain.  In  Hyver- 

nat’s  text,  which  appears  to  be  comparatively  late,  we  find  Michael’s  full 
glory  expressed : “the  mighty,  the  king,  genius  of  the  law”  ( tnaa 

smixi  NlD'X).  In  34:  7 he  is  called  the  “healer”  ( N'DN'),  Raphael  “reliev- 
er” ( and  Gabriel  the  “servant  of  the  Lord.”  the  title  “healer”  sug- 

gests that  the  frequent  opening  invocation,  “In  thy  name,  O Lord  of 
salvation  (NDIDN),  great  Saviour  (N'DX)  of  love,”  which  is  not  a regular 
Jewish  form  of  address  to  Deity,  may  refer  to  Michael;11  but  the  supposi- 
tion is  not  reinforced  by  the  position  Michael  takes  in  these  texts.  In 
Wohlstein  2416  kabbalistic  surnames  are  given  to  Gabriel  and  Michael, 
DDsStf  and  rrmEH  (so  W.  would  read),  the  latter,  “likeness  of  Yah,” 

corresponding  to  the  later  Jewish  notions  concerning  Michael  as  almost 
t?£df  trepoC'  Cf.  the  kabbalistic  forms  in  24:  4 (of  angels?)  and  the  group 
of  seven  barbarous  names  in  Schwab  M,  Dalai,  Salal,  Malal,  etc.,  presum- 
ably standing  for  the  seven  archangels.12  Reference  to  the  latter  is  made 
once,  in  the  introduction  to  Stiibe’s  text  (=  Wohlstein  2416)  where  exor- 

10  See  for  early  precedence  ibid.,  p.  36  f . ; e.  g.  in  Enoch  20:  Uriel,  Rafael, 
Raguel,  Michael,  Sarakael,  Gabriel.  For  Gabriel  we  may  note  that  the  Mandaeans 
gave  him  high  honor,  identifying  him  with  Hibel — Ziwa  (Norberg,  Onom.,  33; 
Brandt,  Mand.  Schr.,  21),  while  they  appear  to  have  ignored  Michael. 

11  Bueken,  Michael,  11,  87:  M.  is  price  of  love.  For  the  epithet  referred  to,  see 
notes  to  No.  3. 

Cf.  the  dictum  of  Sefer  Raziel  (quoted  by  Schwab,  Dictionnaire,  7)  that  in 
divination  it  is  necessary  to  pronounce  the  mystic  names  of  the  planets.  Cf.  a form 
of  charm  in  Wessely,  xlii,  65,  where  the  seven  angels  are  named  in  one  column,  and 
parallel  to  them  two  rows  of  barbarous  mystical  names,  the  first  column  containing 
varying  permutations  of  the  seven  vowels ; e.  g.  aer/iovu  xvX  pa-xaTf^  vvaev. 
N.  B.  the  many  mystical  or  magical  names  of  the  deities  or  “angels”  in  the 
Harranian  philosophy;  Dozy  and  de  Goeje,  Actes  of  6th  Congress  of  Orientalists, 
IT,  i,  297. 


98 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


cism  is  made  in  the  name  of  Metatron,  Hadriel,  Nuriel,  Uriel,  Sasgabiel 
Hafkiel,  Mehafkiel,123  “who  are  the  seven  angels  that  go  and  turn  around 
heaven  and  earth  and  stars  and  zodiac  and  moon  and  sea.”13 

In  this  last  series  Metatron  takes  the  place  that  should  be  given  to 
Michael.  Metatron11  appears  earlier  as  one-  of  the  (six)  archangels,  in 
Targum  Jer.  to  Dt.  34:  6:  Michael,  Gabriel,  Metratron,  Jophiel,  Uriel, 
Yephephia.  He  is  really  a rival  figure  to  Michael,  springing  from  a dif- 
ferent religious  concept ; Michael  is  an  angel,  the  patron  of  Israel,  hence 
the  Angel,  par  excellence,  the  representative  of  deity.15  Metatron  is  in  origin 
an  idea,  Platonic,  Philonic,  however  we  may  call  it,  produced  by  the  neces- 
sity of  a Demiurge,  a “second  god”  between  Deity  and  man.10  It  is  interesting 
to  watch  the  somewhat  unlike  histories  of  the  rival  ideas.  Michael  remains 
an  angel,  hut  Metatron  becomes  more  and  more  a mystic  being;  he  is  as- 
sociated with  the  Enoch  and  Elija  legends,  and  his  identity  with  these  human 
beings  may  be  described  as  an  assimilation  of  them  to  Metatron  or  as  his 
incarnation  in  them;  he  is  both  divine  and  human.1'  To  the  mystic,  the 
kabbalist,  such  a figure  is  more  sympathetic  than  the  archangel  (cf.  the 
argument  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Plebrews!),  and  so  he  replaces  or  absorbs 
Michael.  Hence  he  is  described  in  terms  like  those  given  to  Michael. 
Eisenmenger  quotes  (p.  396)  a long  list  of  appellatives:  he  is  Prince  of 
the  Presence,  Prince  of  the  Law,  Prince  of  wisdom,  Prince  of  kings,  etc. 
(cf.  the  titles  applied  to  Michael  in  Hyvernat’s  bowl),  while  elsewhere 
(Eisenmenger,  ibid.)  he  is  called  the  Prince  of  the  world,  cf.  the  title 
“the  great  prince”  discussed  above  in  connection  with  Michael.18  \\  e may 

12“  Most  of  these  names  are  plays  on  evident  roots. 

15  For  references  and  literature  on  the  planetary  angels  see  Lueken,  op.  cit.,  56; 
add  Eisenmenger.  Entdecktes  J ndentum , ii,  383  ff. : Bousset,  Religion  des  Judcntums, 
3D  ff- 

14  See  Weber,  Jiidische  Theologie,  § 37,  and  for  origins  of  the  idea  cf.  Bousset, 
op.  cit.,  348. 

15  For  the  extremes  to  which  this  notion  went,  see  Lueken,  op.  cit.,  36  ff. 

16  Both  ideas  are  associated  in  Philo’s  mind ; see  Lueken,  § 7,  on  the  ?.6yog 
dpxayye^oc  of  Philo. 

17  For  later  legends  see  Eisenmenger,  ii,  394  ff  °nd  the  interesting  critical  dis- 
cussion of  this  later  (Gaonic)  development  of  Judaism  by  Joel,  Der  Aberglaube,  ii, 
15  ff. 

15  Cf.  SO 2 StU'SiP  who  stands  before  “the  true  God”  in  the  pagan  text  of  No.  19. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


99 


suppose  that  on  the  periphery  of  Judaism  as  well  as  in  its  esoteric  circles 
the  idea  of  Metatron  would  be  especially  acceptable  to  those  who  were  not 
weaned  from  polytheism. 

Comparing  Nos.  3,  19,  25,  we  come  upon  an  interesting  identification. 
XDDiS,  which  appears  in  No.  3,  is  the  Greek  Hermes,  more  especially  the 
Hermes  of  the  mystic  Egypto-Grecian  theosophy  (see  to  No.  3).  He  is 
the  Word,  etc.  (No.  19)  and  in  25:  4 f.,  is  identified  with  Metatron.19  Thus 
we  have  here  a welding  together  of  the  esoteric  Jewish  Metatron  and  the 
equally  mystical  Hermes  of  Hellenism.  Whether  our  magicians  were 
aware  what  KDD1K  meant,  I know  not  and  I doubt  it.  It  gave  them  one 
more  mystical  name  and  combination. 

Just  as  Hermes  was  dragged  in,  so  other  names  or  words  were  put 
in  the  category  of  angels  or  intermediate  beings.  So  in  7 : 8 the  invocation 
is  in  the  name  of  Gabriel,  Michael,  Rafael,  Asiel,  Hermes,  Abbahu, 
Abraxas,20  And  so  with  many  terms  in  these  invocations  it  is  impossible 
to  decide  what  we  are  dealing  with  (e.  g.  Agrabis,  17:  4),  whether  a surro- 
gate for  a divine  name,  an  intermediate  being,  a pagan  deity,  or  perhaps 
a sorcerer’s  name.  The  expression  “in  the  name  of”  was  taken  seriously 
only  so  far  as  the  name  was  concerned ; the  name,  the  word,  was  the  essen- 
tial thing,  not  the  prosaic  object  it  stood  for.  The  same  phenomenon 
appears  in  the  magical  papyri.  There  we  find  now  an  exorcism  in  the 
name  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Jesus  Christ  (xpw°T°c)  and  Holy  Spirit  (<g«t 
■n-vsvfia,  sic)21 — wherein  the  exorcist  shows  bad  orthodoxy,  whether  as  Jew 
or  Christian ; or  again  an  incantation  in  the  name  of  dcov  oapaud  &eov 

aSuvai  i9t ov  pixo-tfl.  Hcov  aovpirfk  1 9eov  yafipiriTi  Usov  patyarfk  Ihov  afipacra!;,  k.  t.  A.,22 

where  gods,  angels  and  formulas  are  mixed  up  just  as  unintelligently  as 
in  the  incantations  from  Nippur. 

As  for  the  minor  angels  most  of  them  can  be  found  in  other  Jewish 
literature,  and  reference  for  them  may  be  made  to  Schwab’s  dictionary 
of  angelology.  Glossary  A lists  the  angelic  names  in  the  bowls.  In  their 

10  So  Michael  was  identified  with  Hermes,  fiueken,  op.  cit.,  28,  78  (with  refer- 
ence to  Hermes-figures  bearing  Michael’s  name). 

20  For  some  of  the  angel  names  in  the  papyri,  see  Lueken,  op.  cit.,  71. 

21  Wessely,  Vienna  Denkschriften,  xxxvi,  2,  75,  1.  1227. 

22  Ibid.,  144,  1.  144.  See  above  § n. 


100 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


formation  they  follow  the  general  rule  of  making  the  first  (verbal)  element 
express  the  object  desired  in  the  incantation.  Thus  in  the  love-charms 
Nos.  13  and  28,  the  angels  invoked  are  Rahmiel,  Habbiel  and  Hanniniel. 

(3)  It  is  difficult  to  say  how  many  of  the  bowls  are  Jewish;  the  pres- 
ence of  Jewish  catchwords  is  not  a sufficient  criterion.  I would  call  atten- 
tion to  a few  of  the  Nippur  bowls  which  are  definitely  pagan.  Of  such 
nature  is  the  last  one  cited.  No.  28,  where  along  with  the  angel  Rahmiel 
appear  the  mighty  (passionate?)  Dlibat  (a  Semitic  Venus)  and  [blank] 
gods.  No.  19  has  the  longest  list  of  invocations  of  apparently  heathen 
deities.  Only  a few  of  them  can  be  certainly  identified.  Hermes  appears 
there,  probably  two  words  (masc.  and  fern.)  representing  the  Gnostic  Aeons 
(n’SlTX,  SlTS);  Bagdana,  “with  70  exalted  priests,”  who  appears  as  a 
demon  (Abugdana)  in  the  Mandaic  bowls.28  Other  names  have  a very 
non-Semitic  sound,  and  we  can  identify  some  Greek  divinities : Zeus, 
Okeanos,  Protogenos  (see  the  commentary).  Also  we  find  angelic  names, 
Akzariel,  etc.,  and  again  Abraxas,  and  reference  to  the  60  gods  and  80 
goddesses.  Yet  the  opening  invocation  is  “in  thy  name  Lord  of  Salvation,” 
etc.,  who  is  also  the  “true  God,”  1.  17. 

Of  peculiar  interest  is  No.  36,  in  which  the  exorcist  declares  he  has 
been  empowered  by  certain  deities:  “The  lord  Sanies  (sun)  has  charged 
me,  Sina  (moon)  has  sent  me,  Bel  has  commanded  me,  Nannai  has  said  to 
me  [blank],  and  Nirig  (Nergal)  has  given  me  power.”  In  quite  antique 
wise  the  sorcerer  (perhaps  a priest,  NH313 ) professes  to  have  received 
oracles.  Apart  from  the  striking  parallels  of  the  prophetic  commissions 
in  the  Old  Testament,  we  find  the  expression  of  like  assumption  by  the 
exorcists  in  the  Babylonian  magic.  Thus  from  the  Utukku- series:  “The 
sorcerer-priest  that  makes  clear  the  ordinances  of  Eridu  am  I ; of  Marduk 
sage  magician,  eldest  son  of  Ea,  herald  am  I,  the  exorciser  of  Eridu,  most 
cunning  in  magic  am  I”  ;24  again : “The  man  of  Ea  am  I,  the  messenger 
of  Marduk  am  I,  my  spell  is  the  spell  of  Ea,  my  incantation  the  incantation 

23  Pognon  B,  p.  93,  Ifidz.,  4:  2 (p.  103,  n.  7);  cf.  the  change  of  the  beneficent 
Mandaic  genius  Abatur  into  an  evil  spirit  in  Ellis  1. 

24  Thompson,  Devils,  i,  133. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


101 


of  Marduk.”25  Cf.  also  the  Maklu- series:  “The  god  and  goddess  have 
commissioned  me,  whom  shall  I send?/’  and,  “I  go  on  Marduk’s  com- 
mand.”20 In  our  text  we  have  doubtless  one  of  the  latest  survivals  of 
priestly  exorcism  in  the  old  forms  coming  down  from  the  asipu  priests  of 
Babylonia;  these  forms  doubtless  were  cherished  long  in  the  Harranian 
religion. 

25  Ibid,.,  23. 

20  Tablet  ii,  11.  52,  158.  Cf.  also  § 9,  end. 


IV.  HISTORICAL  CONCLUSIONS 


§ 14.  Age  op  the  Bowes 

Very  diverse  views  as  to  the  antiquity  of  the  bowls  have  been  offered 
by  students.  It  is  unnecessary  to  consider  the  hypothesis  of  their  pre- 
Christian  origin.1  Chwolson  as  an  epigraphical  expert  submitted  the  texts 
he  was  acquainted  with  to  a careful  examination  and  believed  he  could 
assign  them,  by  comparison  of  the  scripts,  to  different  centuries  early  in 
this  era,  from  the  second  to  the  fourth  or  fifth.  But  epigraphical  evidence 
in  the  case  of  a formed  script  like  that  of  the  square  character  is  fallacious. 
Especially  in  the  case  of  rude  popular  texts,  in  which  antique  forms  of 
writing  have  survived,  no  certainty  from  epigraphy  can  be  obtained.  And 
in  general  a chronology  obtained  from  epigraphy  is  most  dubious;  I may 
refer  to  the  current  opposing  arguments  over  the  Siloam  inscription  and 
the  Gezer  calendar  tablet,  or  note  the  remarkably  fluent,  almost  cursive 
script  of  the  potsherds  from  Samaria,  which  only  their  certain  provenance 
compels  us  to  ascribe  to  the  Omride  age. 

But  most  of  the  students  would  be  inclined  to  place  the  bowls  con- 
siderably later,  between  the  fifth  and  ninth  centuries,  although  rather  by 
conjecture,  from  the  impression  made  by  the  contents,  than  through  pos- 
itive proofs.  Levy  and  Halevy  thought,  but  fallaciously,  that  they  could 
detect  Arabisms,  and  were  inclined  to  date  the  texts  after  the  Arabic  con- 
quest.2 Noldeke  would  place  Hyvernat’s  bowl  not  earlier  than  the  eighth 
century,  basing  his  opinion  on  the  forms  of  the  Persian  names.3  Schwab 
assigned  his  Louvre  bowls  to  the  fourth  or  fifth  century.4 

1 See  above,  § 5. 

2 Levy,  ZDMG,  ix,  474;  Halevy,  Comptes  rendus,  1877,  292,  specifying  more 
exactly,  “vers  le  pieme  siecle.” 

3 Zeits.  f.  Keilschriftforsch.,  ii,  295. 

4 Rev.  d’ass.  et  d’arch.,  ii,  136. 


(102) 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


103 


It  is  evident  that,  in  the  case  of  a large  number  of  texts  coming  from 
different  localities  and  in  most  cases  not  observed  in  situ,  it  is  impossible  to 
take  a datum  from  any  one  and  so  fix  the  chronology  of  the  whole  species. 
Magical  literary  forms  are  peculiarly  persistent ; we  may  think  of  the 
uncertainty  as  to  the  age  of  the  Greek  magical  texts,  in  which,  for  instance, 
a Christian  theological  phrase  may  not  define  the  age  of  the  magical  formula, 
can  only  give  a clue  to  that  of  the  particular  document.  And  so  our  texts, 
copied  and  recopied  as  precious  magical  prescriptions,  repeated  possibly 
by  laymen  long  after  the  special  school  of  sorcery  had  ceased  to  exist,  may 
have  extended  over  a series  of  centuries.  Some  bowls  may  be  considerably 
later  than  others,  e.  g.  Hyvernat’s  with  its  reference  to  “Ispandas-Dewa  the 
Jinn  of  Solomon.”  and  Schwab’s  H and  O composed  of  biblical  verses. 

Fortunately  more  certainty  as  to  a unity  of  time  can  be  had  for  the 
texts  from  Nippur.  These  were  found  by  expert  scholars  in  situ  at  certain 
noted  levels  of  the  ruins.  While  written  in  three  different  dialects  and  as 
many  scripts,  nevertheless  the  appearance  of  the  same  persons  and  families 
in  the  three  classes  tends  to  show  that  they  all  belonged  to  about  the  same 
age.  We  are  not  therefore  to  suppose  a stratification  of  Judaic,  Syriac, 
Mandaic  layers,  representing  so  many  different  ages  or  even  distinct  racial 
elements.  Nor  do  the  variants  within  the  texts  of  the  square  script  compel 
us  to  assign  them  to  different  ages;  these  are  but  calligraphic  variations. 
There  is  every  reason  to  place  the  Nippur  bowls  within  rather  a brief  period, 
and  if  one  or  a few  texts  threw  any  light  upon  the  chronology,  we  could 
place  the  age  of  the  whole  collection. 

The  provenance  of  the  bowls  from  Nippur  was  described  in  § i ; 
they  lay  above  the  stratum  of  the  Parthian  temple.  This  building  had 
been  destroyed,  was  covered  with  sand,  and  upon  the  Tell  settled  small 
Semitic  communities,  Jews  and  Mandaeans,  drawn  to  the  deserted  place 
probably  by  motives  of  religious  community  life.  Indeed  we  may  suppose 
that  these  bodies,  separated  from  the  main  currents  of  their  larger  societies, 
made  a practical  use  and  profit  out  of  their  religious  prestige  in  the  pre- 
paration of  magical  texts.  To  speak  more  exactly  of  the  archaeological 
conditions,  in  the  “Jewish”  houses  discovered  by  Peters  an  upper  stratum 
contained  Cufic  coins  of  the  seventh  century,  a lower  stratum  only 
Parthian  coins,  Jewish  bowls  being  found  also  in  the  latter.  The  lowest 


104 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


dating  then  is  the  seventh  century,  on  the  basis  of  the  Cufic  coins,  and  this 
dating  is  to  be  pushed  back,  if  it  be  modified  at  all,  because  of  the  ease 
with  which  small  coins  slip  down  through  the  soil.  The  archaeological 
evidence  then  for  the  terminus  ad  quern  of  our  texts  is  the  seventh  century 
(probably  its  beginning),  with  a fair  leeway  back  into  the  preceding  century. 

As  I have  said,  the  epigraphical  evidence  is  a weak  reed  to  lean  on 
for  chronology.5 6  The  only  new  fact  I can  bring  to  bear  on  this  feature  of 
the  discussion  is  the  novel  Syriac  script  exhibited  in  seven  of  our  bowls. 
I have  discussed  this  script  in  § 6 and  there  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
it  is  an  early  type  of  the  Edessene  style  of  alphabet,  a result  corroborated 
by  its  identity  with  the  Manichaean  alphabet.  But  again  this  may  be  a 
case  of  survival ; certain  evidence  from  epigraphy  is  nil. 

There  remains  the  philological  testimony.  The  “Jewish”  Aramaic  of 
the  texts  is  just  such  as  we  find  in  the  Talmud,  and  with  evidently  like 
dialectical  variations;  a few  forms  appear  representing  the  “Palestinian” 
dialect,  remains  of  which  occur  in  the  Babylonian  literature.  The  Mandaic 
dialect  is  fully  formed,  and  has  exercised  its  influence,  at  least  in  spelling, 
upon  the  other  two,  the  Rabbinic  and  Syriac.  There  are  many  words  which 
can  be  illustrated  only  from  the  neo-Syriac  dialects,  or  from  the  compilations 
of  the  Syriac  lexicographers.  But  these  words  may  be  old  and  only  by 
chance  have  failed  to  make  their  appearance  in  literature.  Thus  the  late 
Syriac  form  NT3y  “goat,”  is  now  found  in  the  Elephantine  papyri.  The 
fact  that  a Persian  word,  e.  g.  dastabira,  does  not  appear  till  later  or  is  a 
hapax  legomenon,  is  not  proof  of  late  age  unless  it  can  be  shown  to  be  of 
late  Persian  formation.  Nor  do  I find  that  any  of  the  proper  names  compel 
us  to  assume  a late  date.  The  majority  of  them  are  Persian,  and  do  not, 
to  one  who  is  a layman  in  this  branch  of  science  and  who  must  rely  mostly 
upon  the  authority  of  Justi’s  Namenbuch,  appear  to  be  necessarily  late,  say 
toward  the  end  of  the  first  millennium.6 


5 It  is  impossible  to  make  an  epigraphical  examination  of  all  the  bowls  published, 
for  in  the  majority  of  cases  facsimiles  are  not  given,  or  they  are  poorly  made. 

0 Noldeke’s  argument  that  the  element  -dnch  for  -ducht  speaks  for  a late  age 
is  not  at  all  stringent  for  a Semitic  dialect  which  would  naturally  abhor  a termination 
in  a double  consonant;  the  Syriac  texts  have  -ducht. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


105 


There  is  one  line  of  negative  evidence  which  is  the  only  clue  to  a 
terminus  ad  quem  which  I can  discover  on  this  basis.  Despite  the  variety 
of  names,  the  list  of  which  includes  two  Syriac  Christian  names  ( N'HDyD 
Ifc’jpb,  Ntno  m)  and  a Greek  name  ( TV'Knx»,t3  ),  also  probable  Indian 
names,  there  is  none  of  Arabic  origin.  A pair  of  common  nouns  and  the 
use  of  2 for  the  conjunction  in  two  cases  do  give  us  etymological  connec- 
tions in  that  direction;  but  2 in  this  usage  is  found  in  the  Senjirli  inscrip- 
tions and  the  Elephantine  papyri  and  is  a spelling  ad  aurem — it  is  corrected 
in  one  of  Schwab’s  texts.  As  for  the  two  words  Jinn,  and  p’t?  (and 

possibly  , I cannot  grant  that  these  loans  must  have  taken  place 

after  the  Mohammedan  conquest,  when  sorcery  was  so  eager  to  include 
every  possible  name  of  evil  spirits  (n.  b.  the  adoption  of  *a/3oAoi)  and  inas- 
much as  the  good  Semitic  word  may  long  have  been  at  home  on  the  Arabian 
frontiers  of  Babylonia. 

My  consequent  conclusion  is  that  the  Nippur  texts  should  be  placed 
in  a period  not  later  than  the  sixth  or  the  beginning  of  the  seventh  century, 
that  is,  only  as  a terminus  ad  quem,  approximately  6oo  A.  D.  The  abandon- 
ment of  the  Tell  of  Nippur  may  have  been  caused  by  the  Arabic  conquest, 
which,  as  we  may  assume,  ultimately  drove  away  the  Jewish  and  Mandaean 
settlers  to  other  abodes,  the  latter  to  their  recesses  in  the  south  (they  were 
not,  I think,  recognized  as  one  of  “the  peoples  of  a book”),  the  former 
to  the  towns.  As  for  those  texts  from  other  quarters  that  appear  to  be 
later,  they  are  but  the  continuation,  which  we  should  expect,  of  the  magic 
of  the  elder  bowls,  and  as  I have  noticed  in  § 2,  towards  the  end,  late  de- 
scendants of  the  species. 

If  my  conclusions  from  the  data  of  the  Nippur  bowls  are  justified, 
they  afford  us  one  result  of  comparative  value.  While  the  great  mass  of 
magical,  and  more  particularly  Jewish  magical  literature,  is  known  to  us 
only  in  late  documents, — we  may  but  speculate  as  to  the  age  of  the  Sword 
of  Moses,  the  Wisdom  of  the  Chaldacans,  the  Seal  of  Solomon,  the  elements 
of  Sefer  Raziel — our  texts  are  contemporary  and  authentic  documents  of 
the  late  pre-Islamic  period  in  Babylonian  history. 


§ 15-  Origins  and  Relations  oe  the  Bowl  Magic 


“Jewish  incantation  bowls”  is  the  title  that  has  been  generally  applied 
to  our  species  of  magical  texts.  It  arose  in  consequence  of  the  fact  that 
the  first  bowls  interpreted,  as  also  the  majority  of  those  now  known,  are 
written  in  the  script  and  dialectic  forms  of  the  speech  of  the  Talmud, 
and  withal  appear  preponderantly  to  bear  the  earmarks  of  Judaism.1  The 
subsequent  discovery  of  similar  supplies  of  texts  Mandaic  in  composition 
and  contents,  and  now  the  presentation  in  this  volume  of  a number  of 
Syriac  texts,  enlarge  our  vista  concerning  the  diffusion  of  this  special 
form  of  magic  among  the  races  and  faiths  of  Babylonia.  Further,  over 
against  texts  of  whose  Judaism  there  may  be  no  reasonable  doubt,  we  find 
a number  which  are  out  and  out  pagan,  while  the  majority  are  certainly 
eclectic  in  their  theological  tastes.  These  observations  require  that  we 
extend  our  study  beyond  the  domain  of  Judaism  to  discover  the  relations 
of  these  bowl-texts  to  the  general  field  of  magic,  as  we  know  it  for  the 
first  centuries  of  the  Christian  era,  and  to  the  earlier  strains  which  entered 
into  it.  What  are  the  historical  connections  of  our  texts,  and  what  light 
do  they  cast  upon  the  religious  or  spiritistic  thought  of  cosmopolitan  Baby- 
lonia in  the  age  of  the  Sassanian  empire?2 

In  the  magic-wild  age  at  the  beginning  of  our  era,  the  Jewish  magic 
was  recognized  as  one  of  the  three  great  schools  of  sorcery,  along  with 
the  Chaldaean  and  the  Egyptian.  The  Jews  had  inherited  the  rites  and 
notions  of  primitive  magic  from  the  Arabian  Hebrews  and  from  ancient 
Canaan  ; despite  the  severity  of  an  ethical  monotheism,  which  throughout 


1 Hence  our  rude  and  vulgar  texts  are  of  philological  importance  as  almost  the 
only  early  contemporary  documents  of  these  dialects. 

2 The  analogies  have  been  set  forth  in  the  preceding  sections;  in  the  following 
paragraphs  I can  only  speculate  cn  the  genealogical  relations.  Cf.  Deissmann, 
Light  from  the  Ancient  East,  261,  n.  2. 


(106) 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


107 


its  growth  had  placed  a unique  ban  upon  the  practice  of  sorcery,  this 
feature  nevertheless  survived.  While  the  Second  Isaiah  is  deriding  the 
sorceries  of  Babylon  and  exposing  their  helplessness  (c.  47),  we  have 
stray  glimpses  of  the  persistence  of  ancient  rites  closely  akin  to  magic,  which 
still  claimed  the  adherence  of  renegades  (Ese.  8;  Is.  65,  66).  In  the  Book 
of  Tobit  are  given  magical  remedies  for  the  expulsion  of  foul  demons  with 
the  concurrence  of  angels ; Josephus  tells  of  his  sorcerer  who  could  pull 
the  demon  out  of  the  nose  of  the  possessed  with  a root  indicated  by 
Solomon.3  The  New  Testament  gives  the  first  extensive  and  intimate 
picture  of  the  magical  conditions  in  Palestine ; “If  I through  the  finger  of 
God  cast  out  devils,  by  whom  do  your  sons  cast  them  out?” — inquires 
Jesus.  In  Acts  we  read  of  well-established  sorcerers  who  bewitched  the 
people  and  even  Gentiles  in  foreign  parts,  a Simon  Magus  and  Bar-Jesus 
Elymas.  But  apart  from  the  hoary  forms  of  Mezuzoth  and  Tephillin  and 
some  mortuary  charms,4 5  our  first  literary  specimens  of  Jewish  or  Judaizing 
magic  are  found  in  the  Greek  papyri  of  the  Christian  age,  and  there  how 
much  is  Greek  and  how  much  Jewish  we  know  not.  Here  appear  various 
forms  and  anagrams  of  the  Ineffable  Name,  quotations  from  the  Scriptures, 
historical  references  to  Solomon  and  especially  to  Moses,6  who  came,  as 
the  great  mystagogue  and  magician,  to  lie  identified  with  Hermes-Thoth, 
and  was  regarded  as  the  teacher  of  Orpheus.6  He  is  made  the  author  of  a 
Hermetic  book,  through  and  through  Egyptian  and  Hellenistic,  entitled  the 
Eighth  Book  of  Moses,  as  a continuation  of  the  Pentateuch,  which  Dieterich 
has  published  at  the  end  of  his  Abraxas.  Blau  and  Deissmann  have  pub- 
lished a delicate  erotic  charm,  composed  in  true  Greek  spirit,  and  yet  the 
former  may  be  right  in  claiming  its  phraseology  as  preponderantly  Jewish.1 
In  which  direction  was  the  give  and  take,  what  were  the  connecting  links? 
Dieterich  would  find  in  the  Essenes  and  Therapeutae  the  bond  between 


3 A.J.,  viii,  2,  5-  For  a survey  of  Jewish  magic  and  a large  bibliography,  see 
Schiirer,  Gesch.  d.  Jiid.  Volkes,  § 32,  vii  (ed.  3,  iii,  294). 

4 See  H.  Vincent,  “Amulette  jndeo-arameenne,”  Rev.  bibl.,  1908,  382.  (with  ample 
bibliography),  and  Montgomery,  JAOS,  1911,  272. 

5 See  the  analogies  presented  in  §11. 

6 Dieterich,  Abraxas,  70. 

' See  notes  to  No.  28. 


108 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


Jewish  and  Hellenic  magic.8  But  just  wherein  lay  the  peculiar  type  and 
particular  contribution  of  Judaism  to  the  world’s  magical  faith,  we  do  not 
know,  for  the  reason  that  we  have  no  early  magical  documents  of  unim- 
peachable Jewish  origin.  And  if  we  possessed  documents  from  the 
Palestinian  life  of  the  Hebrews,  how  far  even  then  could  we  decide  what 
was  specifically  Hebrew  and  not  Canaanitish  or  borrowed  from  the  spheres 
of  culture  to  the  east  and  west?  What  different  origins  are  assigned  by 
the  commentators  to  the  occult  practices  described  in  Eze.  8.° 

When  we  pass  to  the  eastern  home  of  the  Diaspora  we  have  that 
marvellous  encyclopaedia,  the  Talmud,  with  its  glimpses  into  the  common 
life  of  the  people  as  well  as  into  the  discussions  of  the  schools ; magic  holds 
its  sway  more  or  less  over  all,  and  its  existence,  if  not  its  legality,  is  con- 
fessed by  the  spiritual  masters,  who,  if  we  may  contrast  successively  Mishna, 
Gemara,  the  Gaonic  period,  with  one  another,  came  more  and  more  to 
recognize  and  legitimatize  the  practice  of  magic.10  We  catch  in  the  Talmud 
and  the  subsequent  authoritative  literature  some  of  the  magical  phrases, 
learn  something  of  the  practices  and  beliefs  in  demons,  mark  the  super- 
stitious fears  of  the  people  of  Babylonia,  of  the  Tews  as  well  as  of  their 
neighbors.1*  Our  bowls  and  their  inscriptions  are  rude  and  unlovely,  with 
none  of  the  sombre  dignity  of  the  Babylonian  incantations,  or  of  the  often 
lyric  beauty  of  the  Greek  magical  literature  ;18  but  these  bowls  are  of  prime 
interest  as  giving  us  for  the  first  time  extensive  texts  of  the  eclectic  Baby- 
lonian magic  of  the  first  Christian  millennium.  They  are  degenerate  suc- 
cessors of  the  elder  incantations  of  the  land,  yet  they  are  autograph 
evidence  of  the  superstitions  which  Talmud,  with  caution,  and  Eisenmenger’s 
Entdccktcs  Judenthum,  with  malice,  reveal,  and  are  precursors  of  that  sea 
of  magical  literature  which  has  come  down  to  us  under  Jewish  auspices. 

8 lb.,  137  ff. 

9 See  Kraetzschmar,  ad  loc. 

10  See  Joel,  Der  Aberglaube.  the  sections  C,  D,  E (pt.  I,  pp.  55,  64;  pt.  2,  p.  2) 
for  this  comparison.  For  the  Talmudic  teachers  who  allowed  and  practised  magic, 
see  Blau,  Das  altjiid.  Zauberwesen,  26,  54. 

11  According  to  Blau,  pp.  23,  84,  the  Babylonian  Jews  were  far  more  addicted 
to  magic  than  the  Palestinians. 

u Cf.  the  noble  Hermetic  hymn  of  creation,  the  “holy  word”  in  the  Eighth  Book 
of  Moses,  in  which  “God  smiled  seven  times,”  and  each  smile  was  an  act  of  creation ; 
Dieterich,  p.  182. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


109 


And  withal  they  give  a sample  of  the  medley  and  fusion  of  peoples  and 
religions  in  the  land  which  the  Jews  had  long  since  called  Confusion. 

The  order  of  the  day  is  to  Babylonize,  and  our  evident  line  of  primary 
investigation  is  to  discover  the  relationships  of  the  bowls  with  the  ancient 
Babylonian  magic,  the  literature  of  which  in  the  last  decades  has  been 
published  in  large  quantities  by  the  most  distinguished  Assyriologists.” 
My  notes  to  the  texts  and  the  Introduction  show  how  apparently  numerous 
are  the  connections  between  the  object  of  our  study  and  the  magic  of 
Babylonia.  While  there  is  only  one  instance  of  the  specific  bowl  praxis  in 
that  earlier  literature,14  still  its  method  of  defixion  is  quite  congruous  with 
the  ancient  magical  operations.  As  of  yore,  the  sorcerer  appears  as  the 
commissioner  of  Deity  or  of  the  gods  (§  9)  ; he  follows  definite  and  repeti- 
tious formulas,  similar  to  the  Babylonian  siptu  ( § 1 1 ) . He  invokes  most 
frequently,  or  at  least  primarily,  one  chief  god,  “the  Lord  of  love  and 
healing,”  just  as  the  Babylonian  called  on  Ea  or  Marduk,  but,  as  in  the 
elder  incantations,  other  gods  or  their  angelic  equivalents  are  invoked  in 
large  accumulation  (§  13).  Most  striking  in  the  correspondences  is  the 
registration  of  the  devils,  black  arts  and  maladies  to  be  exorcised ; as  in 
the  Babylonian,  so  in  our  magic  these  are  specified  in  long  detailed  lists 
(§  12).  In  fact  our  spells  far  outdo  the  Babylonian  repetition  of  the 
seven  classes  of  evil  spirits.  In  the  Mandaic  texts  the  terror  of  the  witches 
appears,  in  others  the  evil  charm  is  reversed  upon  the  head  of  the  sorcerer, 
all  as  in  Babylonian  magic.  Rites  and  words  and  the  instruments  of  magic, 
which  are  personified,  are  as  much  the  object  of  detestation  as  in  the  Maklu- 
series.  Diseases  and  all  human  ills  are  inspired  by  devils,  indeed  are  devils 
and  are  treated  as  personal  essences.  The  magician’s  ban,  the  spell  of  the 
mighty  god,  is  laid  upon  them  all,  and  they  are  forthwith  assumed  to  be 
“bound,”  and  “tied,”  as  in  older  days  when  simulacra  sacramentally  sealed 
the  operation.  Even  the  quotation  of  Scriptures  and  references  to  sacred 
legend  have  their  parallels  in  the  Babylonian  incantations,  which  used  the 
ancient  myths  as  potent  charms  (§  11).  It  is  unnecessary  to  proceed 
further  with  the  summary  of  general  correspondences,  but  enough  has 

13  See  for  the  literature,  Jastrow,  Re!.  Bab.  u.  Ass.,  i,  ch.  xvi,  and  his  Religious 
Beliefs  in  Bab.  and  Ass.,  296  ff. 

See  p.  43. 


14 


no 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


been  noticed  to  dispose  our  minds  to  the  dictum  of  Zimmern  :16  “Diese  (the 
incantation  bowls)  im  Ausdruck  oft  iiberraschend  an  die  alten  babylonischen 
Beschworungen  erinnernden  jiidischen  Beschworungstexte,  bei  denen  unter 
den  mit  Namen  angefiihrten  bosen  Damonen  auch  Lilith  haufig  erscheint. 
liefern  in  ihrer  Weise  ebenfalls  den  Beweis  fur  nachhaltige  Einstromen 
babylonischer  damonologischer  Vorstellungen  in  das  Judentum.”16 

Yet  the  implications  that  may  be  drawn  from  this  judgment,  even  if 
not  intended  by  the  writer,  are  open  to  criticism.  In  the  first  place,  as 
observed  in  the  preceding  sections,  similar  correspondences  with  the  Greek 
magic  are  to  be  noted  in  almost  every  instance.  This  fact  compels  us  to 
recognize  the  possibility  of  eclectic  as  well  as  of  immediate  Babylonian 
influence  upon  the  Jewish  magic.  And  then,  secondly,  marked  differences 
exist  between  the  fields,  changes  in  the  center  of  gravity,  omissions, 
accretions.  There  still  remains  a large  degree  of  substantial  reason  in  the 
opinion  earlier  expressed  by  Noldeke,  surveying  the  material  from  a dif- 
ferent point  of  view:  “Die  Verbindung  mit  altbabylonischen  Aberglauben 
diirfte  also  ziemlich  lose  sein.”1'  The  study  of  magic  is  still  in  its  begin- 
nings, and  students  are  too  prone  to  find  a genetic  relation  when  we  have 
to  bear  in  mind  that  we  are  dealing  with  parallel  workings  of  the  human 
spirit  operating  in  a universal  and  amazingly  uniform  field,  while  at  the 
same  time,  particularly  for  the  age  when  Hellenistic  culture  was  dominant, 
we  must  give  allowance  for  the  interfusion  of  factors  geographically  most 
distant. 

Of  the  old  Babylonian  names  of  demons,  only  two  appear  in  our  texts, 
the  sedu  and  Lilith  (with  its  male  counterpart),  but  these,  if  originally 
Babylonian,  in  ancient  times  had  pervaded  the  Semitic  world.  The  ntukki 
limnuti  are  the  Nnc”!  pirn , “evil  spirits,”  but  these  have  their  biblical  pre- 
cedent.18 The  Babylonian  vocabulary  has  been  suppressed  by  genuine 
Semitic  words.  The  extensive  praxis  of  the  Babylonian  has  also  almost 
disappeared;  the  inversion  of  the  bowl,  some  rudely  scrawled  designs,  and 

15  KA  7'\  463. 

18  The  actual  adoption  by  the  Jews  of  Babylonian  magical  rites  is  portrayed  in 
Ece.  13:  17  f. 

17  Z.  f.  Keilschriftforsch.,  ii,  297. 

18  The  sn’Atr  may  be  Babylonian,  see  to  8 : 2. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


Ill 


one  or  two  magical  prescriptions19  are  all  that  remain  in  our  texts  of  the 
elder  practice.  The  use  of  the  bowl  in  a love-charm  has  its  parallel  only 
in  the  Hellenistic  KaraSea/xog  or  defixio,  likewise  buried  in  the  earth.  The 
sorcerer  invokes  the  names  of  ancient  masters  (as  in  the  Greek  magic 
again),  he  no  longer  is  professionally  independent  like  the  asipu  priest;  even 
laymen  borrow  and  lay  the  spells.  The  mere  “word”  or  “name”  has 
replaced  the  practice ; in  the  Babylonian  magic  the  gods  were  prayed  to 
for  their  assistance,  and  we  often  question  whether  we  are  dealing  with 
magic  or  religion ; here  their  or  the  angels’  names  are  simply  used,  and 
these  are  sufficient  to  invoke  their  potency,  without  appeal  to  the  heart  or 
mind  of  a living  deity.  The  use  of  a word  like  Abraxas  illustrates  the 
extreme  consequence;  if  a deity  can  become  a name,  so  a word  can  become 
a deity — numen  nomen!  The  formula  “in  the  name  of”  can  be  used  before 
letters  and  phrases  as  well  as  before  divine  names.  At  first  sight  this  name- 
magic  appears  more  spiritual ; it  actually  proves  to  be  more  absurdly 
mechanical,  because  it  invokes  a binding  of  the  gods  and  heavenly  powers 
by  a cheap  and  easy  formula  without  any  of  the  “service”  of  the  gods,  with 
litany  and  priest,  which  the  elder  rites  prescribed. 

There  is  thus  a change  in  the  spirit  of  the  magic.  The  old  Babylonian 
was  religious  in  his  incantations ; it  is  only  in  the  so-called  medical  texts 
that  we  find  the  passage  from  the  religious  sphere  to  that  of  entirely 
mechanical  operation,  which  may  issue  either  in  empirical  science  or  in 
absolute  magic.  The  sense  of  sin  lay  heavy  upon  the  Babylonian  devotee, 
he  needed  to  dress  in  sackcloth  and  wallow  in  ashes,  while  the  incantation 
required  rites  of  purification  and  confession  of  sins  in  pathetic  and  ethical 
litanies.29  But  any  such  religious  element  is  entirely  wanting  in  our  texts, 
apart  from  the  stereotyped  introductory  formula,  “Lord  of  healing,  Lord 
of  love”  and  two  obscure,  probably  traditional  references  to  sin  and  guilt.200 
We  have  in  a word  a purely  magical  system,  that  is,  one  whose  efficacy  con- 
sists in  doing  or  rather  saying  certain  things  without  a prayer  or  lustration 
or  confession. 


10  See  Nos.  12,  13. 

20  Cf.  the  “confessional”  in  the  second  tablet  of  the  Surpu- series. 
2(la  See  p.  86. 


112 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


It  may  be  further  noticed  that  in  the  use  of  the  Jewish  Scriptures, 
which  is  very  scanty,  the  passages  of  real  religious  import  are  not  employed 
(§  11).  This  is  especially  true  of  the  Nippur  texts,  and  often  all  that  we 
have  reminiscent  of  the  Bible  or  of  religion  are  the  stereotyped  Amens  and 
Halleluias,  common  property  of  the  magic  of  the  age.  Along  with  this 
unreligiousness  of  the  magic  goes  a certain  impression  of  impersonality 
throughout ; there  is  a general  lack  of  reference  even  to  personal  sorcerers ; 
attention  is  paid  to  the  operation  of  witchcraft,  regarded  itself  as  a poten- 
tiality, and  the  mechanical  danger  is  met  by  mechanical  means. 

In  these  differentia  from  the  old  Babylonian  magic  we  find  much  that 
is  apparently  or  evidently  Jewish,  and  again  some  factors  that  are  not  so 
categorically  explained.  We  may  think  that  the  comparative  absence  of 
magic  rite  is  due  to  Jewish  influence,  as  also  the  large  use  of  name-sorcery. 
The  cultless  condition  of  the  Jews  since  A.  D.  70  and  the  long  previous 
term  of  six  centuries  in  which  the  official  cult  was  confined  to  one  sanctuary, 
must  have  incapacitated  the  Jew  for  the  rites  of  the  magician.  He  dared 
not  make  simulacra,  many  practices  were  out  of  question  because  of  their 
evidently  heathen  associations  (“the  ways  of  the  Amorite").  But  he  had 
a holy  book  made  up  of  sacred  words,  and  a god  unlike  any  of  the  pagans, 
who  might  not  be  seen,  who  once  had  spoken  (Dt.  5),  and  who  in  lieu  of 
images  and  many  sanctuaries  was  revealed  in  his  Names."1  And  so  holy 
words  and  names  became  the  province  of  the  Jewish  sorcery.  His  religion, 
when  it  passed  out  of  the  naturalistic  or  the  ethical  sphere,  found  its  outlet 
in  logology,  in  Rabbinism  with  its  logomachies,  in  magic  and  kabbalism 
with  their  manipulation  of  words  and  letters.  Even  the  angels,  which  were 
imported  as  a kind  of  humanizing  mythology  into  Jewish  monotheism, 
came  to  be  but  plays  on  roots,  invocations  of  the  attributes  or  activities  of 
deity,  so  that  finally  angel  was  merely  synonymous  with  charm.  " 

In  these  particulars  the  Jews  may  have  contributed  to  the  later 
Mesopotamian  magic,  as  well  as  to  that  of  the  Hellenistic  world.  In  our 
howls  we  find  Jewish  families  as  the  clients,  and  in  the  Nippur  collection 
there  is  a frequent  reference  to  the  venerable  Jewish  master,  Joshua  b. 
Perahia,  as  a revealer  of  heaven’s  mysteries ; but  as  he  appears  also  in  the 


21  Kabbalism  appears  as  early  as  the  present  text  of  Ex.  3,  14. 

22  See  § 12,  n.  112. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


113 


Syriac  bowls,  which  are  probably  of  pagan  origin,  he  may  have  already 
become  a common  traditional  figure  like  Moses  in  the  papyri.  Nippur  had 
been  since  the  Exile  a center  of  the  Jews,23  and  in  Talmudic  times  it  lay 
just  east  of  the  famous  Rabbinic  school  at  Sura,  between  which 
and  Pumbaditha  to  the  north  of  Babylon  the  spiritual  life  of  Babylonian 
Judaism  circulated.24  But  Nippur  does  not  appear  to  have  remained  a 
Jewish  seat  of  importance.  It  is  mentioned  but  once  in  the  Talmud,25  and 
the  settlement  which  the  Pennsylvania  expedition  unearthed  on  the  top  of 
its  ruins  was,  at  least  so  far  as  the  bowls  testify,  a mixed  folk,  among  whom 
the  identical  magic  flourished  under  Jewish,  Mandaic,  pagan  forms.  This 
interchange  of  magical  property  precludes  us  from  specifically  speaking 
of  many  texts  as  certainly  Jewish,  even  while  we  recognize  numerous 
Jewish  elements.  It  is  interesting  to  observe  that  the  Mandaic  texts  are 
truer  to  the  theology  of  the  sect  than  many  of  the  so-called  Jewish  bowls. 
The  Jewish  magic  here  in  Nippur,  as  elsewhere,  was  eclectic.  The  religion 
of  the  Jew  cannot  admit  that  it  itself  is  eclectic,  and  the  self-consciousness 
of  the  intelligent  orthodoxy  in  rejecting  or  at  least  minimizing  magic  as 
part  of  the  Jewish  system,  approves  itself  when  we  study  our  specimens 
of  magic;  their  science  is  as  much  cosmopolitan  as  native. 

I pass  now  to  another  clue  for  the  origins  of  the  bowl-magic.  I have 
discussed  under  No.  3 the  frequent  references  to  the  genius  Armasa,  who 
is  identified  with  Metatron  and  called  the  Word,  and  is  none  else  than  the 
Hermes  of  the  Hermetic  theosophy.  No.  28  is  a magical  philtre  for  a 
lovesick  wife,  the  terms  of  which  find  their  closest  correspondence  in 
Greek  charms;  No.  19  names  a number  of  deities,  among  whose  obscure 
names  we  can  identify  Zeus  and  Okeanos,  and  perhaps  the  names  of  the 
Aeon-pair.  There  are  other  clues  of  connection  with  the  Greek  magic, 
discussed  in  the  Introduction  and  the  texts;  I may  refer  especially  to  the 

23  For  the  river  Chebar  hard  by  Nippur,  the  Kabar  of  tablets  found  by  the 
Pennsylvania  Expedition,  see  BE,  ix,  plate  84,  1.  2.  For  the  names  of  the  numerous 
Jewish  settlers  there  see  Clay’s  Murashu  texts  and  his  summary  in  Light  on  the  Old 
Testament,  404,  also  S.  Daiches,  The  Jews  in  Babylonia  in  the  Time  of  Ezra  and 
Nehemiah  according  to  Babylonian  Inscriptions  (Publication  no.  2 of  the  Jews’ 
College,  London). 

24  See  S.  Funk,  Die  Juden  in  Babylonien,  Berlin,  1902,  ii,  153  (with  no  reference 
to  Nippur). 

25  Y ovia  10b,  identified  with  the  biblical  Calneh 


114 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


identical  pharaseology  in  the  choice  of  a certain  day  out  of  a month  and  a 
year  as  auspicious  for  working  the  charm.26  Such  terms  as  Abraxas  direct 
our  thought  to  the  great  western  world  and  the  imposing  magical  fabric 
of  Hellenism.27  And  this  system  directs  us  to  Egypt. 

I have  spoken  of  the  permutations  made  on  the  Sacred  Name  as  typi- 
cally Jewish.  And  yet  there  was  another  people  which  equally  cultivated 
the  mystery  of  ineffable  names,  a people  older  than  the  worshippers  of 
Yahwe,  the  Egyptians.28  The  Jewish  development  in  this  regard  was 
hardly  independent  of  Egypt.  However  this  may  be,  we  find  in  the  Greek 
magical  texts  the  fusion  of  the  two  theosophies,  the  Jewish  Ineffable  Name, 
with  all  its  vowel  permutations,  and  like  sacred  titles,  Sebaoth,  Adonai,  etc., 
mixed  pell-mell  with  those  of  Egyptian  origin.  And  further  the  accumu- 
lation of  barbarous  syllables,  such  as  appear  in  our  texts,  has  no  known 
tradition  behind  it  hailing  from  the  Jewish  and  Babylonian  theologies; 
it  must  be  traced  back  to  the  Egyptian  magical  science.20  This  phenomenon 

26  See  p.  55- 

27  The  recent  rapid  development  of  the  study  of  magic  and  the  increased  appli- 
cation to  the  magical  papyri  have  aroused  in  various  quarters  the  question  concerning 
the  nature  of  the  Jewish  magic  and  its  relations  to  that  of  the  Hellenistic  world. 
This  investigation  appears  to  have  been  first  broached  in  a critical  way  by  Blau 
(PP-  37  ff.,  96  ff.),  followed  by  several  writers  whose  works  have  been  constantly 
cited  in  the  above  pages:  Dieterich,  Deissmann,  Conybeare  (who  considers  the 
Testament  of  Solomon  to  be  of  Jewish  origin),  Gaster  (in  introduction  to  his  Sword 
of  Moses),  Reitzenstein,  Heitmuller,  Wendland.  Our  specimens  of  magic  hail  from 
the  eastern  confines  of  that  world,  even  from  beyond  its  political  borders,  and  are 
speaking  proofs  of  the  eclectic  and  cosmopolitan  character  of  Hellenistic  magic. 

JS  Budge,  Egyptian  Magic,  ch.  v;  Erman,  Egyptian  Religion  (1907),  154.  For 
the  influence  of  Egypt  in  the  Hellenistic  magic,  see  the  excursus  in  Heitmuller,  “1m 
Namen  Jesu,”  218. 

29  In  addition  to  the  observations  in  § 11,  see  Budge,  l.  c.;  Wiedemann, 
Religion  of  the  Ancient  Egyptians  (1897),  268,  quoting  Synesius’s  words:  the 
Egyptian  “mumbled  a few  unintelligible  syllables”;  also  his  Magie  u.  Zauberei  im 
alt.  Agypten  (1905),  32.  The  Greek  papyri  are  faithful  repeaters  of  this  Egyptian 
art.. — Stiibe,  remarking  on  the  kabbalistic  use  of  letters  (p.  54),  thinks  that  here 
we  have  traces  of  the  passage  from  the  Talmud  to  the  beginnings  of  the  develop- 
ment of  the  Kabbala.  But  as  of  Egyptian  origin  or  kinship,  the  use  is  not  to  be 
dated  by  the  Kabbala.  It  existed  on  the  periphery  of  Judaism  long  before  it  was 
taken  up  by  the  Jewish  doctors.  Indeed  Chwolson  ( CIH , col.  115)  denies  any  special 
relation  of  these  texts  to  Talmudic  ideas  (against  Eenormant,  Essai,  i,  212,  who  held 
that  our  magic  was  a product  of  the  Babylonian  academies).  Wohlstein  was  the 
first  to  observe  the  eclectic  character  of  our  magic,  ZA,  viii,  316  f.  In  matter  of  fact 
hardly  a trace  of  technical  Kabbalism  is  to  be  found  in  them. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


115 


is  continued  and  flourishes  with  abandonment  in  the  Greek  papyri,  and 
there  again  this  form  of  magical  spell  falls  in  with  the  Jewish  currents. 

This  Egypto-Hellenistic  magic  is  one  of  the  prime  sources  of  our  texts, 
and  the  impression  made  upon  me  in  my  study  is  that  they  resemble  much 
more  this  form  of  magic  than  that  of  ancient  Babylonia.  The  beginnings 
of  this  invasion  of  western  sorcery  into  Mesopotamia  may  have  begun  with 
Alexander’s  armies;  there  can  be  little  doubt  but  that  pervasive  Hellenism 
soon  domesticated  its  magic,  as  everything  else  Greek,  wherever  it  settled. 
It  doubtless  was  reinforced  in  its  development  on  Babylonian  soil  by  the 
Hellenistic  Jewish  magic  that  had  grown  into  luxuriant  life  on  the  theosophic 
soil  of  Egypt  and  thence  sent  forth  its  waves  of  spiritual  energy  to  all  the 
homes  of  the  dispersed  race. 

It  is  difficult  in  the  field  of  magic  to  decide  which  is  cause  and  which 
effect,  for  the  spirit  of  magic  produces  like  fruits  spontaneously  everywhere. 
Our  bowl  sorcery  is  connected  doubtless  by  many  lineal  bonds  with 
ancient  Babylonia,  but  it  shows  as  unmistakable  links  with  the  Hellenistic 
magic,  to  which  the  Jews  contributed,  and  from  which  they  received  still 
more.  The  problem  of  these  texts  is  the  same  that  confronts  us  in  specula- 
tion over  the  Greek  magical  papyri.  Who  wrote  these?  Egyptian,  Jew, 
Greek,  Christian,  Gnostic,  all  contributed  each  one  his  magical  names, 
mysterious  formulas,  bits  of  sacred  history,  each  outbidding  the  other  in 
• the  effort  to  attain  the  same  ends  and  arriving  at  an  indistinguishable  limbo 
of  monotonous  sameness.  The  texts  were  written  for  all  who  would  use 
them,  and  those  who  received  their  magical  traditions  adapted  them  to  the 
changing  fancies  of  age  and  clime. 

Our  texts  exhibit  a like  eclecticism.  Babylonian,  Jewish,  Mandaic, 
Gnostic,  Hellenistic,  and  indirectly  Egyptian,  elements  are  there,  in  various 
combinations.  The  Jew  contributed  a certain  quality  of  monotheism  and 
made  it  palatable  by  his  angelology;  his  Divine  Name,  his  Scriptures  and 
apocrypha  and  liturgy,  were  storehouses  of  magical  lore.  All  this  was  fused 
with  like  elements  from  parallel  sources,  and  the  product  was  useful  to  any 
body  of  magicians,  even  as  it  was  in  demand  on  the  part  of  every  class 
of  clients,  pagans,  Persians,  Jews,  Christians,  every  kind  of  sect.  And 
what  is  true  of  our  texts  is  true  of  all  the  Jewish  magical  literature. 


3 16  university  museum,  babyeonian  section. 

The  bowls  then  are  not  so  much  illustrative  of  a special  Jewish  magic 
as  of  the  eclectic  religious  conditions  of  later  Mesopotamia ; here  the 
ancient  magic,  divorced  from  its  content  of  real  religion,  came  to  be  rein- 
forced by  new  currents  of  superstition  from  the  West.  Whatever  be  the 
relation  of  magic  and  religion,  whether  they  are  twin  sisters,  or  the  one 
the  parent  of  the  other,  or  innate  rivals,  in  our  special  and  confined  field  we 
may  observe  the  break-down  of  the  ancient  noble  religions ; gods  have  be- 
come names,  rites  esoteric  and  selfish  and  malignant,  holy  writings  formulas. 
It  is  not  Judaism  we  have  been  studying  but  a phase  of  fin  de  siccle  super- 
stition. 

In  recent  years  so  much  has  been  made  of  Persian  origins  for  western 
religion,  philosophy,  and  magic, su  that  I am  surprised  to  find  hardly  a trace 
even  in  a word31  of  the  Zoroastrian  system  upon  our  bowl-magic.  This  is 
the  more  remarkable  as  it  belongs  to  Persian  soil  and  flourished  under  the 
Sassanian  empire,  while  the  dualism,  demonology  and  magical  practice  of 
Persia  would  have  been  so  natural  a nursing  mother  to  the  superstition  we 
have  been  studying.  Had  the  Zoroastrian  influence  spent  itself  and,  after 
it  had  given  itself  to  the  world,  did  the  more  virile  currents  of  the  original 
stock  and  of  the  West  reassert  themselves  and  triumph  in  Iran’s  territory? 
Or  has  the  influence  of  Persia  been  overrated? 

As  to  the  comparative  age,  in  point  of  literary  tradition,  of  the  three 
classes,  “Jewish,”  Syriac,  Mandaic,  it  is  impossible  to  decide ; all  follow 
common  types.  In  the  case  of  the  Mandaic  replica  to  No.  n,  the  former 
has  the  secondary  text.  The  Mandaic  charms  are  closest  in  spirit  to  the 
old  Babylonian  magical  literature,  those  in  the  Syriac  appear  to  be  expres- 
sive of  the  current  paganism  (e.  g.  No.  36). 

80  See  Cumont,  The  Oriental  Religions  in  Roman  Paganism,  esp.  nn.  37-39.  P- 
266  f. ; Bousset,  Die  Urspriinge  der  Gnosis,  etc. 

81  N.  B.  the  Ispandas-dewa  in  Hyvernat’s  text,  and  SD'iE,  possibly  the  Persian 
Peri.  The  arguments  for  Persian  influences  advanced  by  Levy,  ZDMG,  ix,  471  f., 
are  now  antiquated  by  the  Babylonian  literature.  The  fashion  of  interminable  lists 
of  demons  may  come  from  Persia. 


TEXTS,  TRANSLATIONS,  NOTES 


CBS  = Catalogue  of  Babylonian  Section  University  of  Pennsylvania. 
Numerals  in  ( ) number  the  lines  of  the  spiral  inscription,  starting  from  the 
radius  where  the  text  begins. 

Brackets,  [ ],  indicate  suppletion  of  lacunae. 

Phrases  in  ( ) in  the  translation  represent  amplification  or  interpretation  by  the 
translator. 

Inferior  points  attached  to  Hebrew  characters  indicate  doubtful  readings. 

Points  on  the  line  indicate  missing  letters  or  words. 

Superior  points,  in  the  Syriac  texts,  represent  the  diacritical  marks  of  the 
original. 

No.  1 (CBS  8693) 

33  ms[«  p3]r£  ndidk  (3)  no  orpm  [imnjty  33  (2)  main  ny’op  pn 
[ma]K  pnni>  NniDN  (5)  pin!’  upnn  nod  n3  [“injojm  Non^i  (4)  n’jn  “imoty 
n33  Nn^’in  ny’op  pin  n^>D  p[o]«  J’on  nod  (6)  ro  713:1033  xnni’i  iitow  33 
pa.’by  n’yotyN  (8)  nod  no  inoono  N3n^i  "imosy  33  max  pnn!>  (7)  pnbnu 
p33D  O pDD  N3U  03^  Nn’^1  (9)  ’3’ty  p3^3  p3n’J73T  [Dl]tP3  Nn’^  TO  ^3 
3ND0  ’30ty3nN3  3 p^330  3 pn3D  n3S  (10)  NP3  JO  3 prP303  Nn33H  b]l  p3313 
J'nJB'Ol  J’0^31  P VN  pBOPOl  V P3JB01  (11)  J’OJSOl  J’S^’I  J’D03  3 pDDPI 

pannoi  Nnoia  . . 3 poa 

Exterior 

’BO  P1033  ’33^  NBO’N  03^  p'03’01  TOlO^  p3’D’  pJ>mOt  J^m  J133n31  (12) 
VW  (14)  D1D3  NOO’31  PP^D  p33B>  NBO’N  03  D’J/1  '333  ni033  ’BOip  (13) 
rpoB3  NJ3n3  (15)  NJtON  nitron  NnB”3  Nmi^  T^y  n’ono  ~\&i  bo 

3yi  D^iy  i’N  33SN  TO' 


Translation 

This  the  amulet  of  Ephra  (2)  bar  Saborduch,  wherein  shall  be  (3) 
salvation  for  this  Ephra  b.  S.  and  also  (4)  for  this  Bahmanduch  bath 
Sama,  that  there  be  for  them  (5)  salvation,  namely  for  this  Ephra  b. 
S.  and  for  this  Bahmanduch  b.  5.  (6)  Amen,  Amen,  Selah. 

This  is  an  amulet  against  the  Liliths  that  haunt  the  house  of 
(7)  this  Ephra  b.  S.  and  this  Bahmanduch  b.  S.  (8)  I adjure  you,  all 


(117) 


118 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYEONIAN  SECTION. 


species  of  Liliths  in  respect  to  your  posterity,  which  is  begotten  by  Demons 

(9)  and  Liliths  to  the  children  of  light  who  go  astray:  Woe,  who  rebel 
and  transgress  against  the  proscription  of  their  Lord;  woe,  from  the  blast 

(10)  fast-flying;  woe,  destroying;  woe,  oppressing  with  your  foul  wounds 
....,  who  do  violence  and  trample  and  scourge  and  mutilate  (11)  and 
break  and  confuse  and  hobble  and  dissolve  (the  body)  like  water;  woe, 
....;  and  where  you  stand,  (12)  and  where  you  stand  (sic)  fearful  and 
affrighted  are  ye,  bound  to  my  ban, — who  appear  to  mankind,  to  men  in 
the  likeness  of  women  (13)  and  to  women  in  the  likeness  of  men,  and 
with  mankind  they  lie  by  night  and  by  day. 

With  the  formula,  TWM  (14)  5‘S  GS  GSK,  have  I written  against 
thee,  evil  Lilith,  whatsoever  name  be  thine.  We  (15)  have  written.  And 
his  name  shall  save  thee,  Ephra,  forever  and  ever. 

Commentary 

A phylactery  in  the  name  of  a man  and  wife  for  protection  against 
the  liliths  and  their  broods  which  haunt  the  home.  The  same  couple  are 
the  subjects  of  the  charm  in  No.  13,  in  which  the  woman  invokes  the  love 
of  her  husband  and  the  blessing  of  children.  For  the  general  magical 
details  I refer  in  this  and  the  following  texts  to  the  Introduction. 

1.  max:  in  No.  13  written  with  both  n-  and  X-.  The  name  may  be 
Jewish  or  Persian,  (1)  hypocoristic  from  Dnax,  or  (2)  a hypocoristic 
reduction  from  one  of  the  numerous  names  in  Fra-;  see  Justi,  Iranisches 
Namcnbuch,  101  fif. ; for  the  prothetic  vowel,  cf.  ibid.  6.  The  Persian 
name  of  the  mother  by  no  means  determines  the  race  of  the  family. 

IHiX’  = “Sapor’s-daughter”  not  instanced  in  Justi;  duck  for  ducht ; 
see  above,  p.  104,  n.  6. 

2.  unn  = vrn,  1.  4;  both  forms  in  the  Rabbinic. 

3.  ;1  DTi  : unless  a scribal  error,  a unique  adverbial  development  of 
the  preposition,  “and  withal,”  = simul  ac,  or  b/iov  mi,  e.  g.  Dieterich, 
Abraxas,  14  7. 

4.  TrODra:  see  Justi,  p.  374  f. ; also  in  Pognon  B. 

NOD:  in  No.  13  also  ’XOD.  A frequent  Jewish  name;  see  Heilpren, 
nnnn  no  ( Seder  lia-Doroth),  ed.  Maskileison,  Warsaw,  1883,  ii,  296  f. 
The  two  forms  are  hypocoristic;  see  Noldeke,  art.  “Names,”  Enc.  Bib. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


119 


§ 50  f.,  Lidzbarski,  Bphemeris  ii,  7 ft.,  13  ft'.  (For  the  early  form  and 
history  of  these  terminations,  cf.  the  results  of  Ranke,  Early  Babylonian 
Personal  Names,  7 ft.).  The  full  name  was  K'ED,  “blind,”  occurring  in 
Jewish  and  Syriac.  It  occurs  as  a feminine  name  (as  here)  in  Asseman’s 
Catalogue,  cited  by  Payne-Smith,  Thesaurus  syriacus,  col.  2655. 

6.  : pi.,  also  . The  liliths  are  the  only  named  objects 

of  exorcism,  but  masc.  ppls.,  etc.  are  found  in  1.  10  ft.,  probably  by 
technical  phraseology. 

rm  : F N33  ; cf.  Pcsah.  mb:  ’fin  THD  ’31 : “those  which  haunt  caper- 
berries  are  spirits. 

pr6rP3:  the  pronominal  suffix  expressed  with  the  intrusion  of 
cf.  in  the  Assouan  papyri  of  Sayce  and  Cowley,  ,^N33l  V33  (F,  9)- 

8.  [Dl] C’3  : if  a correct  restoration,  the  charm  would  obviate  the 
demoniac  procreation  described. 

9.  “Sons  of  light”:  XTO  is  primarily  fire  and  the  term  would  indicate 

the  angels,  expressive  of  the  legend  that  the  angels  emanate  like  sparks 
(cf.  '33  , Job  5:  7)  from  the  dinar,  the  stream  of  fire  under  God’s 

throne,  Hag.  14a,  and  other  reft,  in  Eisenmenger,  ii,  371  ft.  Cf.  “the  hosts 
of  fire  in  the  sphere,”  8:  13.  In  16:  7 the  demons  are  “sons  of  darkness.” 
But  as  the  reference  is  to  demoniac  unions  with  human  flesh,  the  expression 
appears  to  be  transferred  to  mankind.  It  is  then  parallel  to  “sons  of  light,” 
a name  given  in  the  Mandaic  religion  to  the  Uthras,  Brandt,  Maud.  Rel., 
30,  and  also  to  men  predestined  to  life,  Brandt,  Mand.  Schr.,  13,  19.  The 
redeemed  come  to  share  in  the  light-nature  of  the  angels,  cf.  Dan.  12:  3, 
Enoch  38-39,  cf.  the  viol  <pur6g  of  the  NT.  In  the  myth  of  Adam  Kadmon, 
man  was  originally  a being  of  light  (Bousset,  Hauptproblcmc  d.  Gnosis, 
202,  etc.;  for  the  Kabbala,  Karppe,  Zohar,  372  ft.).  Hence  we  must  sup- 
pose that  NUT  has  been  reduced  from  Ninn  “light”  (cf.  the  Arabic),  and 
the  expression  is  to  be  correspondingly  rendered.  The  predicates  follow- 
ing recall  the  myth  of  Gen.  6. 

Jin'lD,  as  in  Syriac,  but  the  11  is  only  the  sewa;  cf.  1.  11. 

10.  pms  ms  Npn  JD  V.  An  interesting  parallel  to  a well-known 

Talmudic  formula  against  witches,  Pesali.  noa-b:  '3"ms  ms  '3"mp  mp 
xmn  KpniE^  Npn  xma  ,Ti33’lN,  generally  translated:  “Your 

head  be  balder,  your  crumbs  [with  which  you  conjure — cf.  the  anecdote 


120 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


of  Abaye  in  Hull.  105b,  Joel,  Der  Aberglaube,  i,  69]  be  blown  away,  your 
spices  fly  off,  the  wind  carry  away  the  fresh  saffron.”1  I doubt  if  so  much 
sense  can  be  made  out  of  the  doggerel;  following  the  Talmudic  tradition 
our  phrase  would  mean  “your  breadcrumbs  away  with  the  gust!”  By 
itself  the  words  could  simply  mean,  “be  blown  away  with  a gust,”  with  re- 
duplication of  the  verb.  For  rnp  in  the  Talmudic  passage,  see  to  18:  9. 

The  combination  in  the  middle  of  the  line  is  obscure ; a verbal  middle 
noun  from  DBn?  The  participles  01  pburiD  portray  the  fiendish  assaults  of 
the  demons ; the  same  accumulations  in  Lidzbarski’s  Mandaic  bowls.  Cf . 
the  action  of  the  demon  of  epilepsy  in  Mk.  9:  14  fif. 

11.  For  the  V see  above  p.  61. 

pco  jmmiD’D  : for  the  relaxing  effects  of  disease  cf.  Ps.  22:  15,  Ese. 
7:  17. 

jmrui  iimro , a dittograph  induced  by  the  scribe  turning  over  the 
bowl  to  write  on  the  exterior  and  repeating  the  word.  The  ’ in  the  first 
form  represents  the  sewa.  The  meaning  is : stay  banned  where  you  are ! 

12.  p’D’ : metaplastic  form  of  root  TDK , found  in  the  Targums,  etc. 
(cf.  Fleb.  “1  did) . 

pDTD : cf.  Kiddus.  81a,  xnmxD  jdd  mb  ’DTX . The  climax  of  the 
description  is  the  worst  and  most  obscene  of  the  plagues ; the  same  phrase  in 
Pogn.  B,  no.  27. 

13.  DlDD:  in  Ellis  1:  8 ODD  appears  in  conjunction  with  the  Tetra- 
grammaton. 

14.  \rb,  the  form  is  singular,  and  the  phrase  refers  to  the 

many  names  of  a lilith  (see  §§  11,  12  and  No.  42). 

With  Nmb'b  it  is  difficult  to  determine  whether  the  singular  or  plural 
is  meant.  For  “lilith  of  whatsoever  name,”  cf.  14:  6:  demons  whose  names 
are  mentioned  and  who  are  not  mentioned.  The  same  indefinite  invocation 
in  the  Babylonian,  e.  g.  Utukki- series  (Thompson  Evil  Spirits  of  Babylonia, 
i,  153)  : spirits  “that  have  no  name,”  presenting  a blanket  formula  for  names 
not  known;  cf.  dcuuiviov  nal  fit/  6vofiaC6/ievov ; Pradel,  Griech.  u.  siidital.  Gebete, 
22,  1.  2. 

15.  bx,  a Hebrew  reminiscence;  in  general  cf.  Ps.  20:  2 f. 

1 See  Blau,  Zauberwesen,  77.  The  connection  of  this  Talmudic  passage  with  Ese. 
13:  17  ff.  has  not  been  observed  by  the  commentators. 


No.  2 (CBS  2945) 

Tiapip  x^ipep  x^i  ’nnipE  ’t^Ert  i^na  ’xi-pbie  pe  pexe  rox  xj^rx  run 
JDE  X^DBl'  X’EP  XDDPXP  XtyiE^  [X'EP]  (2)  XPUP  Palp  X^TPEP 

pnb  max  nna  lEEP^yEi  ''tyu  pde  (3)  pm  rpyjsi  n^rx  nypxi  x’a&y  keep 
xDtywE  jie^  xjEty'x  'xn’it  pe  xe'xei  xhep;  pe  xjiexe  ppe  prpan  Dyp’B  nxp 
xde’p.1  pe  rmEXE  ppe  prpan  inannn  Dyp'a  exp  xjph  inn'in  xaty’xi  xbh  (4) 
n,n,EE  oyp’a  Ein  pe5>  xja’tya  xpjp’  ui  (5)  psi>  xje’j  xntrp  ’E  ppeei  rrnn’XEi 
’xnpr  pe  xe’xe  ix  xde’PJ  pe  pjiex  mx  ’P’P’e  rprpE  nyj’x  ^eei  p’J’J’PEI  pexdp 
trrvi’  isyi  xpib  pa-pin  by  njn’xp  xnapn-xi  xnpini  xnaty  pEpy  xjrpna  (6) 
xnanj  pe  xjiex  mx  xj^rx  (7)  ipp  steed^  ipa’D  xpiay  ^yi  dipd  by)  xmn 
xn^EEaE  ivpei.  ’P’y’E  priE  rpyaai  n^tx  xn'jpn  nam  ’am  np  bat 
PPSPB  IPEPI  pPPD  ipP'D  palp  XDEpiJ  XnpnD'El  ipEflE’E  xnam 


Translation 

Again  I come,  I Pabak  bar  Kufithai,  in  my  own  might,  on  my  person 
polished  armor  of  iron,  my  head  of  iron,  my  figure  of  pure  fire.  (2)  I am 
clad  with  ‘the  garment  of  Armasa  (Hermes),  Dabya  and  the  Word,  and  my 
strength  is  in  him  who  created  heaven  and  earth.  I have  come  and  I have 
smitten  (3)  the  evil  Fiends  and  the  malignant  Adversaries.  I 
have  said  to  them  that  if  at  all  you  sin  against  Abuna  bar  Geribta  and  against 
Ibba  bar  Zawithai,  I will  lay  a spell  upon  you,  the  spell  (4)  of  the  Sea  and 
the  spell  of  the  monster  Leviathan.  (I  say)  that  if  at  all  you  sin  against 
Abuna  b.  G.,  and  against  his  wife  and  his  sons,  I will  bend  the  bow  against 
you  (5)  and  stretch  the  bow-string  at  you. 

Again,  whereinsoever  you  sin  against  the  house  of  Pabak  and  against 
his  property  and  all  the  people  of  his  house,  in  my  own  right  I Abuna  bar 
Geribta — or  against  Ibba  bar  Zawithai — (6)  will  bring  down  upon  you 
the  curse  and  the  proscription  and  the  ban  which  fell  upon  Mount  Herrnon 
and  upon  the  monster  Leviathan  and  upon  Sodom  and  upon  Gomorrha.  In 
order  to  subdue  Devils  (7)  do  I come,  I Abuna  b.  G.,  and  all  evil  Sacra- 


(121) 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


3 22 


ments  and  the  tongue  of  impious  Charm-spirits ; I have  come  and  smitten 
the  Demons  and  Devils  and  evil  Tormentors,  the  Gods  (Idol-spirits)  and 
female  Goddesses — standing  in  serried  rows  and  encamped  in  camps. 

Commentary 

A mutual  charm  of  two  sorcerers,  each  invoking  his  powers  in  turn  in 
the  other’s  behalf.  An  almost  exact  replica  of  the  terms  of  the  charm  is 
found  in  the  first  part  of  No.  27.  The  two  men  named  appear  in  No.  3, 
where  Pabak’s  household  is  the  subject  of  exorcism. 

1.  Din:  apparently  a formal  term  of  introduction;  cf.  26:  3.  It 
generally  connects  the  several  members  of  an  incantation  series.  Cf.  the 
“and”  introducing  the  mortuary  charm  published  by  me  in  JAOS,  1911, 
273.  It  may  be  correlative  to  Din  in  1.  5. 

pDN3 : the  Persian  Papak,  Justi,  p.  241  ; cf.  Arabic  Babek,  Greek  napPem- 
The  name  occurs  in  late  Babylonian,  Hilprecht  and  Clay,  BE,  ix,  68. 

'NrPDlD:  Syriac  NTVBID  is  a water-flask  with  a small  mouth.  For 
the  character  of  the  name,  cf.  Hebrew  piDpD,  Xovfcc,  Eu.  8:  39  = NTlD 
“wine-pitcher,”  etc.  For  the  hypocoristic  termination  in  'X — , see  to  1:4. 
It  is  parallel  in  meaning  and  form  to  rvpDpD,  N eh.  11  : 17. 

NY'VJ  = NnvsJ,  27:  3.  Comparing  the  Rabbinic  p,  “a  shining  spark,” 
and  “white  earth,  gypsum,”  and  }*nj,  “polish.”  I understand  this  word  in 
the  sense  of  “polished  armor.” 

xnn  nmp  = tom  TiOlp  hSd,  27:  4;  the  parallel  marks  the  gradual 
obscuration  of  magical  formulas.  Fire  is  the  potent  element  against  witches 
and  demons,  as  the  ancient  means  for  destroying  their  arts.  In  Babylonia 
the  fire-god  Gibil  was  the  chief  god  of  exorcism  in  such  magic,  Tallquist, 
p.  25  ff. ; for  other  examples  in  Semitic  magic,  see  Thompson,  Semitic 
Magic  in  Index.  Iron,  like  the  other  metals,  and  excelling  them,  is  a potent 
means  against  devils,  Blau,  p.  159;  Thompson,  in  Index;  in  the  Testament 
of  Solomon  is  an  anecdote  of  a devil  afraid  of  iron  ( JQR , xi,  18)  ; 
Tosephus’  exorcist  used  an  iron  ring.  For  the  western  world,  see  Pauly- 
Wissowa,  Rcal-Encyc.,  i,  50. 

2.  N'DT  I supply  from  the  parallel  inscription.  After  it  appear  traces 
of  bl,  which  letters  are  repeated  to  make  the  following  word;  a fault  in 
the  bowl  required  the  rewriting  of  the  characters. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


123 


NDEntn  the  garment  of  a potent  being  carried  with  it 

his  powers.  ' Compare  the  assertion  by  the  magician  in  the  charm  noted 
to  1.  i,  in  which  he  professes  to  be  clad  with  the  magical  paraphernalia  of 
Moses,  Aaron,  David,  Solomon,  etc.,  and  see  above,  § 9.  There  is  also 
to  be  recalled  the  magical  garment  of  Marduk  in  the  fourth  of  the  Seven 
Tablets  of  Creation,  while  the  magical  robe  which  renders  the  wearer 
invisible  is  common  property  of  folklore. 

NSbtom  fcozn  XDOIX.  NDD"iN  is  found  in  the  parallel  bowl  No.  27  (along 
with  the  rest  of  this  phrase)  ; in  19:  7;  in  25:  4 jnDD’D  xdd[~in];  in  11:7 
in  the  spelling  D'CnK;  and  in  7 : 8,  D’DT'N  = Myhrman,  1.  4,  D’DTTi.  The 
forms  give  the  clue;  D’EHN  is  one  of  the  Syriac  spellings  for  the  Greek  'E pfirjc, 
e.  g.  Peshitto  to  Acts  14:  12;  D’Din  also  occurs  in  Syriac.  NDOltf  is  then 
the  Hermes  about  whom  gathered  the  extensive  mystical  cults  and  literature 
towards  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  era  to  which  is  given  the  epithet 
Hermetic.  Summary  reference  may  be  made  here  to  Reitzenstein’s  illum- 
inating study  Poimandres  (Leipzig,  1904),  also  to  G.  R.  S.  Mead,  Thrice 
Holy  Hernias,  London  and  Benares,  1906.  The  Greek  Hermes,  the 
messenger  of  the  gods,  was  identified  with  the  Egyptian  Thot,  the  divine 
agent  of  human  illumination — in  a word  the  Logos  of  the  Egyptian  religion. 
This  mystical  function  of  Hermes-Thot  is  evidenced,  e.  g.,  by  a passage  in 

Justin  Martyr  '.  ei  yeyevrjo&cu  e k 1 9eov  ?<.eyo/j£v  Aoyov  dcoi,  ko'ivov  tovto  egtu  vfj.lv  rol g rov 
'Bpfiijv  X6 yov  tov  Txapa  deov  ayyelTinbv  Xiyovaiv  ( Apol . i,  22  ; Migne,  Patrol,  gr.,  vi, 

57-)- 

This  figure  was  also  adopted  in  the  syncretistic  mysticism  of  the 
farther  East,  as  the  expressions  cited  from  our  bowls  show.  He  is  the 
word  tfbtao  (=  19:  7),1  and  the  Metatron,  that  mysterious  inter- 

mediate agency  between  God  and  his  creation  in  Jewish  Gnosticism  (cf.  § 
13).  But  this  Hermetic  theology  was  not  mediated  to  the  Orient  through 
Judaism,  but  through  the  Hermetic  schools,  which  appear  to  have  held 
out,  into  the  twelfth  century,  in  that  obstinate  center  of  paganism,  Harran. 
Chwolson  has  collected  the  evidence  for  the  survival  in  that  region  of  the 
Greek  religious  philosophies,8  and  Reitzenstein  has  now  trenchantly  pointed 

1 The  ’’Epfiijc  Myiog  or  16yiov  : Reitzenstein,  op.  cit.,  43;  Abt,  Apologie  des  Apuleius, 

1 18. 

1 In  his  Die  Ssabier  nnd  der  Ssabismus,  1856.  See  now  Dozy  and  de  Goeje, 


124 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


out  (p.  1 66  ff.)  the  essential  Hermetic  quality  of  this  last  remnant  of  the 
old  pagan  philosophy.  The  magic  of  the  Euphrates  valley  has  caught  up 
probably  from  Harran  the  figure  of  Hermes  and  easily  identified  it  with 
the  Jewish  Metratron,  the  biblical  Enoch,  etc.3  Hermes  was  the  equivalent 
of  the  Babylonian  Nebo,  and  a passage  in  the  Mandaic  Ginza  throws  light 
upon  the  expression,  “clad  with  the  clothing  of  Armasa” ; in  the  Ginza 
we  have  a tradition  that  the  angels  invested  Nebo  with  a dress  of  fire.4 

The  nSSdo  of  our  text  is  then  a proper  epithet  of  NDD1N.  What  is  meant 
by  the  preceding  epithet  N'm  ? It  occurs  in  the  parallel  text,  and  also  in 
Stiibe’s  text,  1.  5,  thus:  mm  jncD'O.  I suggest  that  mm  (srm) 

means  “who-is-in-Yah,”  an  ancient  mystical  expression  for  the  Logos;  cf. 
the  Johannine  npk  tvv  &eov,  and  the  description  of  the  Son  as  “in  the 
bosom  of  his  Father,”  and,  “I  am  in  the  Father  and  the  Father  in  me.” 
Compare  also  7:  8,  lira  in\  and  note. 

3.  ’TOO  (cf.  4:  4),  reminiscent  of  the  biblical  'D  3Dp , for  which  see 
Joel,  i,  100. 

NJUN:  a name  of  two  Amoras. 

NronJ:  “scabby”;  cf.  Gareb,  2 Sci.  23:  38,  and  the  Palmyrene  xmu, 
de  Vogue,  Syrie  centralc,  no.  141 ; also  the  Arabic  Juraib,  Jarba. 

ntn:  the  same  name  in  Seder  ha-Doroth,  ii,  45.  The  form  is  shortened 
from  Abba , see  Lidzbarski,  Ephemeris,  ii,  8. 

\xmr  : so  the  probable  reading  of  the  name  here  and  below.  It  is 
hypocoristic  from  NTl’U  , “corner” ; cf.  the  biblical  name  Ribka  = Aram. 
Npm,  “stall.”  Is  there  here  a pious  allusion  to  the  daughters  of  Israel  as 
polished  corners  (nviT)  of  the  temple,  Ps.  144:  12? 

: the  verb  is  found  in  the  Aramaic  only  in  the  Syriac,  and  but 
rarely,  and  in  the  bowls  occurs  only  here. 

N ouveaux  documents  pour  l’ etude  de  la  religion  des  Harraniens,  in  the  Actes  of  the 
6th  International  Congress  of  Orientalists,  II,  1,  281. 

3 Bar-Hebraeus,  Chron.,  ed.  Kirsch,  p.  5,  where  Hermes  and  Enoch  are  identified 
“by  Greek  books”;  also  a reference  in  Reitzenstein,  p.  172,  n.  3,  to  a Hermetic  MS. 
bearing  the  name  of  Idris  = Enoch.  For  this  Enoch-theosophy  see  Joel,  Aberglaube, 
ii,  16,  19. 

4 Ginza,  R,  p.  54,  ed.  Petermann;  see  Brandt,  Mand'disclie  Schriften,  89. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


125 


01  XOT  X2K”X : the  spell  on  the  sea  and  Leviathan  was  mightiest  in 
magical  history,  for  it  was  the  first  great  act  of  “white  magic” ; cf.  the 
Marduk  legend.  A survival  of  this  mystical  aspect  of  creation  appears  in 
Job  38:  8-1 1,  which  concludes:  “And  He  said:  thus  far  shalt  thou  come 
and  no  farther,  and  here  shall  thy  proud  waves  be  stayed” ; cf.  Jer.  5 : 22, 
Ps.  104:  6 ff.,  Job  38:  8 ff.  The  subjection  of  the  abyss  is  a frequent 
magical  allusion  in  the  papyri,  e.  g.  the  Great  Magical  Papyrus  of  Paris, 
1.  3062  ff.  (Dieterich,  Abraxas,  140;  Blau,  p.  113;  Deissmann,  Light,  258). 
The  sealing  of  Tehom  is  referred  to  in  Targ.  Jon.  Bx.  28:  30. 

4.  intonnn . the  scribe  began  to  write  the  perfect,  passed  into  the 
imperfect  (which  we  should  expect  here)  with  the  second  letter  and  re- 
turned to  the  perfect  termination ; he  amended  his  mistake  by  rewriting 
the  word.  In  general  the  scribes  aimed  at  carefulness.  A word  so 
corrected  is  sometimes  deleted  with  a line. 

iTnrvX:  for  the  various  forms,  see  Glossary,  v.  xnnJ’X. 

rvJ33:  a Mandaic  and  also  Targumic  idiom  for  Tim,  Noldeke,  Mand. 
Gram.,  § 144. 

01  xnt?p  ’3:  ’3  a form  of  -3  found  in  Targums  and  Talmud  (also 
in  the  Palestinian  charm  cited  to  1.  1).  The  terms  are  reminiscent  of 
Marduk’s  slaying  of  Tiamat  in  the  Babylonian  creation  legend:  “Marduk 
made  ready  bows  ....  The  bow  and  the  quiver  he  hung  at  his  side” ; 
cf.  the  praise  of  Marduk’s  bow  in  the  fifth  tablet  (King,  Seven  Tablets  of 
Creation,  ii,  63,  83,  and  fragment  cited,  p.  207)  ; also  numerous  biblical 
parallels:  Hab.  3 : 9,  cf.  v.  11 ; Ps.  7:  12-14;  Dt.  32:  41  (where  Gressmann, 
Isr.-jiid.  Bschatologie,  78,  would  read  for  As  in  1.  1 with  the 

clothing  of  Deity,  so  here  with  his  magical  arms  the  magician  declares 
himself  invested.  But  the  phraseology  may  be  based  on  magical  practice, 
a symbolical  shooting  at  simulacra,  in  the  same  way  as  these  are  burnt, 
peeled  off,  mutilated,  etc.  A very  similar  passage  is  to  be  found  in  one  of 
the  Manic’naean  texts  discovered  in  Chinese  Turkestan,  in  which  the 
conjurer  shoots  with  his  bow  and  arrow  at  the  demon,  who  falls  dead; 
Sitzungsberichte  of  the  Berlin  Academy,  1908,  401. 

XJ3T : participial  form  from  333 ; the  Peal  is  unique. 

5.  3in  : the  other  part  of  the  mutual  charm  now  begins.  The  contrast 
is  further  expressed  by  'TT3  , “on  my  part.” 


126 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


NTX3  IN:  this  name  was  omitted  in  its  proper  place  and  is  now  inserted. 

6.  KHDiriN:  for  the  prosthetic  x see  Noldeke,  Mand.  Gram.,  § 24. 

JIDTn  a reminiscence  of  the  myth  of  the  confederation  of  the 
fallen  angels  upon  Hermon  (n.  b.  R am)  ; see  Enoch  6:  5 f. : “they  named 
the  mount  Hermon,  because  they  had  sworn  and  bound  themselves  by 
curses  upon  it’’;  also  14:  7 ff.  Philo  of  Byblus  also  connects  the  Titans  with 
the  Lebanons  and  other  mountains  of  Syria : “These  begat  sons  of  greatest 
size  and  superiority,  whose  names  were  given  to  the  mountains  which  they 
occupied,  so  that  some  of  them  are  called  Kassion  and  Libanos  and  Anti- 
libanos  and  Brathu.”5 * *  And  Hilary  of  Poitiers  adds  something  to  our 
knowledge  of  the  myth : “Hermon  is  a mountain  in  Phoenicia,  the  interpre- 
tation of  whose  name  is  anathema.  Moreover  it  is  the  tradition — from 
whose  book  it  comes  I know  not, — that  the  angels  lusting  after  the 
daughters  of  men,  when  they  descended  from  heaven,  assembled  on  this 
very  high  mountain.”8  Cf.  the  anointing  of  Nebo  by  the  evil  gods  in  the 
Mandaic  mythology,  Brandt,  Mand.  Rel.,  126  f. 

7.  pno  nTD:  construct  of  accumulation. 

HS31D  ns*l : “camping  in  camps.”  121  is  very  rare  in  Hebrew  and 
Aramaic,  but  is  frequent  in  Assyrian,  where  among  several  meanings  it 
is  found  in  this  sense  (cf.  the  biblical  place-name  Q’TS'l).  TDhJD  occurs  in 
a MS.  cited  by  Rabbinowicz  to  Mcgilla  10b:  '3HN  bf?  1T21D  IT 3,  where  ‘ft 
= Hebrew  nrxT  The  variant  in  27:  n,  na*i»  nsTD , parallel  to  'D  nTD, 
is  probably  the  correct  form.  The  allusion  to  the  serried  battalions  of  the 
demons  is  epical,  perhaps  of  mythological  origin. 


5 Eusebius,  Praep.  Ev.  i,  10:  7;  text  in  C.  Muller,  Fragm,  hist,  graec,  iii,  566. 

0 Hilary  to  Ps.  132:  3,  see  Corpus  script,  eccles,  latin.,  xxii,  689. 

' So  on  Jastrow’s  authority,  Dictionary  of  the  Targumim,  the  Talmud,  etc.,  1476, 

but  I do  not  find  the  reference. 


No.  3 (CBS  2963) 

xnonni’  xnnty  xonm  xm  xpd’x  ppn  taro  ’onpp  xan  x’dx  xnxiox  no  pocya 
xtya  xjodi  xtya  xnn  mmo  pmn'i  mn  pinpanin  pa  'ms  (2)  pnnn  n'rai 
n!>ya  nii”o  xnmxi  mnmx  m^o  xpaa  (3)  ^opp  xpan  nnax  pays*  npmap 
"yiatyxi  p^xna  i»ix  idix  X’Wai  xaam  timo’x  poi  pmax  pa  pn’>i  pm 
mnmx  nnx  nr^o  pippopin  pa  'ms  pin  m ^napm  xin  -fry  xnyatya  (4) 
nn  pmm  m inap’n  xin  (5)  ni>ya  'ms  mi”a  'ms  na  nnx  m inap’n  x^n 
xaan  xin  x^'in  *6  ainyin  pp  Kan  pa  tmi>  pm  pai  twi>  mxn  pa  pnnm 
Dya  non  nrntnr  op?  Pan  (6)  pan  pan  yaoyaoya  pdp  pdp  pop  yryryrp  matya 
iosy  rp  ioty  pd  jnpD  pd  po  pDpD  xmrp’  xntyx  pa  mnan  nan  inox  pp  pan 

^np  iTn’  yoty  par  (7)  mmo  ^ ['] m xmo  px^an  xap  xaty  xin  ppn  

[p’lptyn  innn?  pinropin  pa  nnpx  ppnp  n'cxpp  tar  ppiopp  pa  yi>amai  pny 

Tini>  pnni  iwi>  mxn  pnnm  i>a  (8)  pal  pmm  ^a  tor  nana  na  mnmx  nnx  pa 
jvpD  xnp’p’  xntyx  pa  mnan  nan  lpdx  pp  pdpd  jdpd  oitya  }ax  tytyaia 

i»np  mm  yoty  (9)  par  mna  5»m  xmo  pxi>ap  xap  xaty  [xin  ppn]  

xoty  pnna  no  xntyn  px  xma  pnnp.  manp  poi  ’manp  po  yi>amai  pny 

mnmx  nnx  nnp  poi  pin[pamn  Pa  nppx  onp  pa]  [mn]a  i”mn  xan 

nnDx  oityai  tax  tytyaia  pni>  jinni  jini>  mxn  pan  pja  dpp  poi  (10)  nans  na 

xa[n  xaty  xin  ppn] pd  pope  jdpd  xnp’p''  xntyx  pa  mnan  nan  nan 

pa  ppiopp  pa  yi’amoi  pny’  i>’nn  (11)  n'n’  yoty  nai  mno  i”nn  xmo  px^an 

nnx  (12) pp  xtya  xnp  plan  pnyi  inmn  xap  xaty  ppn  Ditya  xntyn  px 

naxjty  tytyaia  pni’  pnni  imi>  mxn  pan  pm  i>a  onp  poi  nana  na  mnmx 
nr  xi>n]  D^tyinm  p’man  pa  mm  pytn  toon  pa  mm  pyn  iodp  i>x  mm  poxp 

[tax  tax  tyx’D  in»na  nix 


Translation 

In  thy  name,  O Lord  of  salvations,  the  great  Saviour  of  love. 

Designated  is  this  spell  and  mystery  and  strong  seal  for  the  sealing 
of  the  household  of  this  (2)  Ardoi  bar  Hormizduch,  that  from  him  may 
depart  and  remove  the  evil  Demon  and  the  evil  Satan,  who  is  called  SP‘SK, 

(127) 


128 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


the  Mighty  Destroyer,  who  kills  (3)  a man  from  the  side  of  his  wife 
and  a woman  from  the  side  of  her  husband,  and  sons  and  daughters  from 
their  father  and  from  their  mother, — by  day  and  by  night  omo,  omo, 
walking.  (4)  I adjure  thee  that  thou  do  not  kill  off  this  Ardoi  b,  H.  from 
Ahath  his  wife,  and  that  thou  do  not  kill  off  Ahath  bath  Parkoi  from 
Ardoi  her  husband,  (5)  and  that  thou  do  not  kill  off  their  sons  and  their 
daughters,  whether  those  they  have  or  those  they  shall  have,  from  this 
day  and  forever,  neither  by  night  nor  by  day.  In  the  name  of  Z‘Z‘Z‘,  HSR. 
HSR,  HSR,  P'SFSF,  TMR,  TMR,  (6)  TMR,  NKT,  ZHZHZH, 
HSR,  P‘S,  TMR,  KK,  ’STW,  YWPT,  YWPTYH,  from  the  burning  fire, 
SKSYN,  SYN,  SYN,  SKYWN ; SK,  his  name  KS  his  name.  This  is  the 
great  name  before  which  the  angel  of  death  is  afraid,  (7)  and  when  he 
hears  it,  frightened  he  flees  and  is  swallowed  up  before  it  and  (just  so) 

before  this  Ardoi  b.  IT.  shall  he  fear  and  flee [and  from]  Ahath  his 

wife,  bath  P.,  and  from  all  their  sons  and  from  (8)  all  their  daughters, 
whether  those  they  have  or  those  they  shall  have.  PWTSS,  Amen.  In 
the  name  of  KK,  ’STW,  YWPT,  YWPTYH,  from  the  burning  fire, 

SKSN,  SKSYN,  SKYWN,  [This  is]  the  great  name  before  which 

the  angel  of  death  is  afraid  and  when  (9)  he  hears  it,  frightened  he  flees 
and  is  swallowed  up  before  it  and  before  this  household.  Moreover  now 
in  this  great  name  of  which  is  afraid  [the  angel  of  death,  etc. — he  shall 
flee  from  Ardoi  b.  H.]  and  from  Ahath  his  wife  b.  P.,  (10)  and  from  sons 
and  daughters,  those  they  have  and  those  they  shall  have.  PWTSS, 
Amen.  In  the  name  of  ’STW,  YWPT,  etc.  [This  is  the  great  name] 
before  which  the  angel  of  death  is  afraid,  and  when  he  hears  it  (11) 
frightened  he  flees  and  is  swallowed  up ; so  moreover  now  on  the  authority 

of  this  great  name  shall  fear  and  flee  and  go  forth  the  evil  Demon 

(from  Ardoi,  etc.).-  PWTSS.  According  as  it  is  said:  “And  Yhwil 
said  to  Satan:  Yhwil  rebuke  thee,  Satan;  Yhwh  rebuke  thee,  who 
chooses  Jerusalem.  [Is  not  this  a brand  plucked  from  the  burning?  Amen. 
Amen.]” 

Commentary 

A charm  for  a man  and  his  family  against  a murderous  spirit.  The 
charm  consists  in  magical  syllables  constituting  “this  great  name”  and  the 
formula  is  repeated  four  times ; see  p.  65. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


129 


i.  'ID:  construct  = Syr.  X~iO.  01  XHX1DX  OO:  a frequent  epithet  in 
these  bowls  of  the  deity  invoked,  along  with  'Dnn  X3"t  N'DX,  e.  g.  7:  1. 
Cf.  the  frequent  invocation  in  Pognon’s  bowls:  X'DXEH  X'DX  nxJX,  X’DX  nxJX 
Nnxcti'O,  etc.  The  theme  HDX  is  equivalent  to  in  the  New  Testament 
and  Latin  salus,  German  Heil,  for  which  modern  English  offers  no  syno- 
nym, the  good  old  word  “health”  having  been  specialized.  The  word 
implies  a remedy  against  evil  spirits  and  black  magic.  It  is  also  used 
concretely,  of  the  phylactery,  “this  'X”,  Wohls.  2426:  1. 

The  epithets  here  used  are  interesting  as  being  probably  one  of  the 
few  survivals  in  these  inscriptions  of  the  ancient  Babylonian  theological 
terminology ; there  we  have,  in  the  penitential  and  magical  literature  in- 
numerable appeals  to  the  love  and  curative  powers  of  the  deities ; thus 
Marduk  is  god  of  love  and  life,1  Ea  is  a-si-e .2 * 4  Arid  the  exact  equivalent  of 
X31  X'DX  is  found  as  an  epithet  of  Gula,  the  consort  of  Ninib : asugallatu 
beltu  rabitu,  “Great  Healer,  Mighty  Mistress” ; and  of  Bau,  who  became 
identified  with  Gula,  e.  g.  asitu  gallatul  Ninib  was  domiciled  at  Nippur 
and  these  epithets  of  his  consort  may  have  been  particularly  Nippurian, 
and  so  have  survived  in  the  bowls  coming  from  that  locality.  I have  not 
been  able  to  discover  the  parallel  masculine  epithet  for  Ninib.5  This 
invocation  is  doubtless  pagan,  being  distinct  from  the  numerous  biblical 
epithets  expressive  of  the  love  and  power  of  God.  It  is  never  associated 
with  the  Jewish  Divine  Name.  is  a common  epithet  of  the  Greek 

gods,  Zeus,  Apollo,  Asklepios,  Hermes,  and  is  an  epithet  of  the  Deity  in 
the  N.  T.,  e.  g.  I Tim.  1:1.  Cf.  also  the  Phoenician  XS“itt  b]}2,  CIS,  i,  no. 
379,  and  Ex.  15:  26,  7xs~i  mir  '3X.  Also  n.  b.  the  common  epithets  for 

1 La  magie  ass.,  Fossey,  323,  365,  369;  n.  b.  his  title  remenu. 

2 This  reference  I have  not  been  able  to  verify. 

8 III  R,  41,  col.  2:  29;  Delitzsch,  Hwb.,  197a;  Schrader,  KB,  iv,  78. 

4 R.  C.  Thompson,  PSBA,  1908,  63. 

6 Radau  (BE  xvii,  pt.  1,  p.  ix)  endeavors  to  find  the  same  title  for  Ninib  in  his 
explanation  of  the  Aramaic  rendering  of  nin-ib,  ntt’UN  (see  Clay,  JAOS  xxviii,  1907, 
135,  and  Montgomery,  ibid.,  xxix,  204).  He  interprets  it  as  = en-usati,  “lord  of 
help,”  our  very  title  (cf.  Delitzsch,  Beitrdge  z.  Ass.  i,  219,  for  equivalence  of  AZU 
with  asii),  and  with  the  same  root.  The  interpretation  would  be  very  agreeable  to 
me  in  view  of  the  above  remarks,  but  Radau  omits  to  explain  the  Aramaic  rendering 
of  s (or  s)  by  t?  when  the  Aramaic  has  the  root  NDR,  while  Clay’s  explanation  appears 
to  me  the  more  satisfactory. 


130 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


the  love  of  God  (V  oni)  in  the  O.  T.  and  Koran,  also  in  the  Palmyrene 
texts.6  Pradel  has  collected  in  his  Griech.  u.  siidital.  Gcbete,  42  f.,  a 
number  of  the  epithets  denoting  the  healing  and  merciful  character  of  God; 
he  is  there  la-pb<;  1 j)vx&v,  LTief/fiuv,  etc. 

Ol  |DTO:  a standing  introductory  formula  in  these  bowls  (with  ND2, 
etc.),  jot,  Pael,  appears  to  be  used  in  the  sense  in  which  the  Peshitto  has 
it  as  the  rendering  of  the  Hebrew  tr'Hpn,  “sanctify,”  e.  g.  Josh.  7:  13,  Jer. 
12:  3.  Cf.  the  religious  connotation  of  the  parallel  root — ny . 

For  Nnonn  as  a pa“al  formation  see  Noldeke,  Mand.  Gram.,  121.  Cf. 
the  Mandaic  forms  and  formula  cited  by  Lidzbarski,  Eph.  i,  96,  n.  1 : 
xmxtDNJi  xntNixn  xnDxnsn.  The  “charm,  mystery,  seal,”  are  identical,  and 
refer  to  the  Great  Name  of  the  incantation.  For  the  identity  of  name  and 
seal,  see  Heitmiiller,  “Im  Namen  Jesu,”  143,  150,  etc. 

2.  'mi!:  hypocoristicon  in  -oi,  abundant,  with  variants  in  -di  and  t,  in 
these  texts  (see  Noldeke,  Persische  Studien,  in  Sitzungsberichte,  phil.-hist. 
Class,  of  the  Vienna  Academy,  1888,  p.  387.).  The  name  is  formed  from 
one  of  the  numerous  Persian  names  in  ard-  or  art-;  it  occurs  in  Myhrman’s 
text,  see  his  note,  p.  349. 

pnrtmn:  a frequent  Persian  name  see  Justi,  p.  10. 

nr , or  nr  = yr,  from  yir  or  yyr;  but  as  nr,  from  nnr  (found  in 
Heb.,  Ex.  28:  28,  cf.  the  Aramaic  nit),  seethe  forms  Jimr,  10:6,  ]inr, 
12:  10,  xnrNnx,  Pognon,  B.  nr,  31:  3. 

“Demon,  Satan,  Destroyer,”  all  epithets  of  the  one  demon ; cf.  above 

pp.  38,  68. 

poysv  : with  reversal  of  the  alphabetic  order  of  the  first  four  letters — 
to  indicate  the  bouleversement  of  the  demon? 

xn2J  nnaN : abbdda  gabbara,  abbad  not  otherwise  found;  for  the  forma- 
tion cf.  Noldeke,  Syr.  Gram.,  § 115.  Notice  that  the  Hebrew  and  Greek 
Abaddcn  is  represented  in  Rev.  by  b aivolMuv , as  though  the  original  was  a 
noun  of  agent,  not  an  abstract.  The  epithet  = mnyDn  “|N?Dn,  2 Sa.  24:  16, 
n'nccn,  Ex.  12:  23,  the  Samaritan  etc. 

3.  pnr:  for  the  vocalization  of  the  conjunction  cf.  NPT1,  14:  6; 

6 Baethgen,  Beitrage,  82  f.,  Lidzbarski,  Handbuch,  153. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


131 


ravibK'7'1,  14:  7,  etc.  The  conjunction  is  also  similarly  pointed  in  Targum 
Onkelos,  Dt.  14:  3 7 (ed.  Berliner),  see  Berliner’s  note,  ii,  140. 

prro’N:  the  half-vowel  after  to  is  indicated,  as  in  Mandaic. 

qSxnto  ICON  ltDlX  : thus  the  uncanny  stealthy  movements  of  the  demon 
are  expressed. 

4.  nnx:  probably  the  first  element  in  such  a name  as  rraxinnx,  “sister 
of  her  father,”  cf.  'Uinx , “brother  of  his  father,”  a frequent  name  in  the 
Talmud.  Cf.  biblical  oxnx,  and  the  Babylonian  Ahatbu,  Ahatsuna, 
Ahat-immisu,  etc.  (Tallquist,  Nenbabylonisches  Namcnbucli,  3),  and  similar 
names  in  the  Glossary. 

WB:  hypocoristic  of  Persian  Farruchan,  Justi,  p.  94  ff. 

5.  pm  = hawen,  cf.  |n»,  |D"i , 6:  4,  pi.  ppl.  with  future  sense,  as 
common  in  Syriac. 

p“i:  appears  only  in  this  phrase,  so  16:  13,  19:  20,  is  archaic  and 
seldom  in  Talmud ; for  the  p'ronouns  see  end  of  Glossary  C. 

6.  “From  the  burning  fire,”  i.  e.  of  hell.  For  the  threatening  of 

demons  with  pangs  of  hellfire,  see  Pradel,  21,  1.  11  ff. ; for  the  threatening 

of  demons  in  general  cf.  the  Paris  Magical  Papyrus,  1.  1227  ff.  (ed. 
Wessely),  and  see  in  general  Tambornino,  Dc  ant.  daemonismo,  78. — The 
angel  of  death  appears  in  Schw.  F.  The  charm  of  which  he  is  afraid  is 
a potiori  more  fearful  to  the  demon. 

7.  p’Tjr1:  for  the  second  11  representing  the  scwd,  cf.  the  Sabbioneta 

text  of  Targum  Onkelos,  ed.  Berliner,  to  Ex.  21 : 13,  Num.  35:  26.  For  u 

in  birrr , see  Ndldeke,  Mand.  Gram.,  219.  N.  B.  the  two  prepositional 
forms  VntOXTp  and  iTD“!p  along  side  of  each  other,  the  latter  attributed 
to  the  “Palestinian”  dialect  by  Dalman,  Gram.  d.  jud.-pal.  Aramdisch,  181. 

The  Great  Name,  or  True  Name,  at  which  devils  and  all  things  created 
tremble  and  flee  away,  is  a common  thesis  in  the  Greek  magic : Wessely, 
xlii,7  65,  ad  infra : the  God  of  Israel  whom  the  heavens  bless  and  (the 
oceans?)  fear  and  every  devil  trembles;  Dieterich,  Abraxas,  140, 1.  55  ff : the 
name  at  which  trembles  the  Gehenna  of  fire  and  every  mountain  trembles; 
Wiinsch,  Antike  Fluchtafeln,  no.  4,  1.  44  (with  editor’s  notes),  and  no.  5, 

8 “Neue  griech.  Zauberpapyri”  in  Denkschriften  of  the  Vienna  Academy,  phil.- 
hi st.  Class,  xlii,  2:  his  earlier  publication  in  vol.  xxxvi  is  cited  as  “xxxvi.” 


132 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


1.  21.  It  is  not  necessarily  a Jewish  phrase,  Wessely,  xxxvi,  50,  1.  244  ff : 
“This  is  the  primitive  ( TTpurevov)  name  of  Typhon  at  which  trembles  earth, 
deep,  hell,  heaven,”  etc.  Cf.  Heitmiiller,  pp.  148,  231,  for  citations  from 
the  Fathers,  and  Pradel,  p.  40  f.,  for  Greek  magic.  Dieterich  regards 
this  trembling  before  the  Name  as  of  Orphic  origin,  p.  141. 

The  bowl  CBS  16093  is  almost  identical  in  text  with  this  one,  and 
bears  the  same  design.  It  is  about  two-thirds  as  long.  Its  clients  are  the 
couple  named  in  Nos.  32  and  35.  Also  another  bowl  (unnumbered)  is 
practically  the  same  as  the  present  text,  but  shorter,  with  the  same  design 
also  made  out  for  the  clients  of  Nos.  32  and  35. 


No.  4 (CBS  2923) 

xntynK  njtott  'JT’t  ppon  xntyT  Tim  iri  pcynp  ppn^d 

ndpi’D  ppipt  rmr  (2)  jins  iia  kppd  pmcprim  pnmDx  ptdn  pnmDX  pmtj’Ts 

K'!»5t  K^l  PPDT  mJPN  ^>33  PIT  piTDl  N^l  '■KITET  P3  P3XS3  PIT  ptOri’Pl  >6 
KJPDK  3in  NP'Pty  [NOnnDl]  NPD’fcO  p3i>  NJPDNP  ^IDT  NEOT  (3)  t6l 

NCJ”3  KP1D’N3  P3^  &UPDX  (4)  3in  'tP3  'IPX  “TlTH  PIT  ’P’DNP  NP’ID’IT  |13^ 
I'E^lbo  P^y  ppm  p3313  PIT  IPDflNP  NP1D[’X3  [T^]  NJPDN  3 UP  NP'PtDI 

T)  xb  ppm’xpp  soppsp  Tpp  Nny^  pjn  kjtp  (5)  K3p  nop  py  pcwiin 
’tyj'K  ^33  pPI3  p^3DJ  i6  ^DSNl  «n3TJ  P3  KJ13N3  [1P!3  PDnTl  . . . 
PITT  D[nnO  ’]DinnP  blti’ID  NOOT  K'^3  *b  'Nri'ET  P3  (6)  P3N3P  PPDT 

pn«  (7)  n3DJ  n^’Kjypi  rntopj  my3P  nix  iptppix  xbtip  X3P  xpisjp  tptq  nnn 

’xn'Dis  pn  P3xsp  nnnm  xrDTi  pn  xjtxp  nnra 

Translation 

Covers  to  hold  in  sacred  Angels  and  all  evil  Spirits  and  the  tongue 
of  impious  Amulet-spirits.  Now  you  are  conquered,  you  are  charmed; 
charmed,  you  are  charmed  and  sealed  in  each  one  of  the  four  (2)  corners 
of  his  house.  You  shall  not  sin  against  Pabak  bar  Kufithai,  nor  shall  any 
do  folly  against  him,  against  all  the  people  of  his  house,  either  by  night 
nor  (3)  by  day;  because  I have  bound  you  with  an  evil  charm  and  a sure 
[seal].  Again,  I have  charmed  you  with  the  charm  with  which  Enoch  was 
charmed  by  his  wicked  brothers.  Again  I charm  you  with  an  evil  and 
galling  seal.  Again,  (4)  I charm  you  with  the  seal  with  which  were 
charmed  the  Seven  Stars  and  the  Twelve  Signs  of  the  Zodiac  unto  the 
great  day  (5)  of  judgment,  and  to  the  great  hour  of  the  redemption  of 
your  heads : you  shall  not  . . . , nor  sin  against  them,  against  Abuna  bar 
Geribta,  and  none  shall  at  all  do  folly  against  them,  namely  the  people 
of  the  household  of  Pabak  (6)  b.  K.,  neither  by  night  nor  by  day,  because 
well  sealed  is  his  house  and  well  armed,  and  with  a great  wall  of 


(133) 


134 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


bronze  have  1 surrounded  it.  I , what  I desire  I grasp,  and  what  I ask  I 
take.  (7)  You  are  in  the  place  of  Abuna  b.  G.  and  in  the  place  of  Pabak 
b.  K. 

Commentary 

A general  charm  against  all  evil  spirits,  made  out  for  the  Pabak  of  No. 
3.  The  introductory  lines  are  of  interest  as  they  definitely  settle  the  use  of 
these  bowls  (§8).  The  design  represents  the  sorcerer  waving  his  bough, 
see  p.  55. 

1.  ’So'D  : 'D  is  to  be  identified  with  the  plural  of  the  Syriac 

metcilletha,  metalle,  or  mattelc / the  , probably  represents  the  pronunciation 
mcttcle.  The  second  word  is  the  infinitive  of  So,  “contain,”  whose 

original  meaning  is  retained  in  the  Hebrew,  even  in  the  sense  of  holding 
in  with  force,  e.  g.  Jcr.  6:  11,  over  against  the  later  meaning  of  “measure.” 

pc’Hp  pxbo : See  p.  79;  also  cf.  Nnxcrnxp  xnoin,  Ginza,  ed.  Peter- 
mann,  p.  231,  1.  10,  and  the  Mandaic  XKHlpl  xnn. 

Tini:  the  first  letter  was  written  by  inadvertence. 

xrrJTT  ’iTT : case  of  dittography. 

xn'j’nx:  for  the  prosthetic  x.  cf.  Noldeke,  Maud.  Gram-,  § 32. 

3.  01  rra  'TDXt:  we  find  here  the  idiom  of  the  active  use  of  the 
passive  participle,  as  in  Neo-Syriac;  see  Noldeke,  Gram.  d.  neusyrischen 
Sprache,  §§  103,  143.  An  approximate  use  of  this  participle  in  verbs  mean- 
ing “to  carry,”  etc.,  and  also  with  1DX  is  found  in  classical  Syriac  (Noldeke, 
Syr.  Gram.,  § 280).  But  in  these  instances  the  participle  is  middle  voice 
in  meaning;  thus  X?'?3  VDX  means,  “he  bound  himself  with  a crown.” 
In  the  present  case  the  participle  has  assumed  a completely  active  sense, 
with  an  object  other  than  the  subject. 

Tonx  : this  spelling  is  found  in  a passage  from  the  lexicon  of 
Karmsedinoi,  quoted  by  Payne-Smith,  col.  266,  v.  DlOD,-i3,D3X. 

unx  : “his  brother”  and  “his  brothers”  have  the  same  spelling,  differ- 
ing as  -Cihi  and  ohi;  the  forms  in  -id,  oi  are  Mandaic,  and  also  Palestinian. 

There  is  reminiscence  here  of  a cycle  of  personal  legends  concerning 
Enoch  which  have  been  preserved  only  in  the  Arabic,  see  Weil,  Biblische 


1 See  Noldeke,  Syr.  Gram.,  § 59. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


135 


Legenden  der  Musselmdnner,  p.  62,  a compilation  from  manuscript  sources.2 
According  to  these  legends  Enoch  (Idris),  who  foretold  the  flood,  suffered 
at  the  hands  of  the  wicked  Cainites,  even  as  Abraham  was  made  a martyr 
for  his  faith.  Our  passage  must  refer  to  some  spell  laid  upon  Enoch  by 
his  adversaries.  The  early  Samaritan  theologian  Marka  (fourth  century) 
cites  a book  of  the  Wars  of  Enoch,  which  may  have  contained  these  tradi- 
tions.3 A spell  laid  by  the  wicked  on  a saint  was  a fortiori  potent;  see 
above,  p.  64,  for  other  apocryphal  examples.  For  Enoch  in  incantations,  cf. 
19:  17. 

the  word  is  written  twice;  in  the  first  case  the  scribe  emitted 
the  X,  then  inserted  it  above  the  line,  and  on  second  thought  rewrote  the 
word  correctly.  It  is  the  Syriac  and  Mandaic  NDNlSxD.  The  first  ' 
is  unique;  it  is  to  be  classed  with  the  phenomena  noticed  by  Noldeke,  Maud. 
Gram.,  223,  where,  e.  g.  -yun  for  -tin. 

TI2T  n;w,  NOV : cf.  “the  great  day,”  Hexaplaric  Syriac  to  Is. 

1 : 13,  the  New  Testament  “that  day  and  that  hour,”  the  Syrian  Ephrem’s 
expression,  “the  hour  of  judgment”  (ed.  Lamy,  iii,  583),  and  the  Arabic 
“the  hour.”  For  the  feminine  form  TOl,  see  Noldeke,  Aland.  Gram.,  145. 

In  lines  4,  5,  we  are  introduced  to  an  extensive  and  ancient  cycle  of 
myths  concerning  the  relation  of  the  Seven  Stars  (the  planets  with  sun 
and  moon)  and  the  twelve  zodiacal  signs,  with  the  creator  of  the  kosmos. 
There  were  two  distinct  developments  in  this  mythology;  in  the  polytheistic 
development  the  planets  became  highest  deities.  But  in  what  we  may 
call  the  monotheistic  trend  of  thought,  in  which  one  of  the  gods,  like 
Marduk  became  monarch,  or,  as  in  Israel’s  faith  Yahwe  is  the  sole  God, 
stress  is  laid  upon  the  antithesis  between  the  Creator-God  and  those 
celestial  divinities.  The  present  regulated  orbits  of  the  planets  and  the 
fixed  positions  of  the  zodiacal  constellations  signify  that  these  beings,  once 
autonomous,  have  been  brought  into  subjection  to  a higher  god.  In 
process  of  time  they  came  to  be  regarded  as  “spirits  in  prison.”  Thus 
Tiamat  became,  when  slain,  the  fixed  firmament  (or  the  zodiac?),  while, 
according  to  Zimmern,  KAT , 502,  the  eleven  Helpers  of  Tiamat  are  the 
twelve  signs  of  the  zodiac,  minus  that  of  the  Bull,  the  sign  of  Marduk 

2 For  the  later  Jewish  Enoch  literature  see  Jew.  Enc.  i,  676. 

8 See  Montgomery,  The  Samaritans,  224. 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


himself.  This  unfavorable  attitude  toward  the  celestial  bodies  is  thus 
ancient.  The  monotheistic  trend  was  native  to  the  Hebrew  theology,  and 
in  line  with  it  we  have  the  passage  in  Is.  24:  21  ft.,  according  to  which  “the 
host  of  the  height  on  high,”  as  well  as  the  kings  of  the  earth  are  punished, 
being  bound  in  prison.  For  the  later  theology  the  Book  of  Enoch  is  a good 
witness;  e.  g.  18:  13  ff. : “I  saw  there  seven  stars  as  great  burning 
mountains.  When  I inquired  about  it,  the  angel  said:  This  is  the  place 
where  heaven  and  earth  are  at  end;  this  is  a prison  for  the  stars  and  the 
host  of  heaven.  The  stars  which  revolve  over  the  fires  are  they  which  at 
the  beginning  of  their  origin  transgressed  the  command  of  God  for  they 
did  not  come  forth  at  their  time.  Then  he  became  angry  at  them,  and 
bound  them  for  10,000  years,  till  the  time  when  their  sin  is  accomplished” 
(cf.  21 : 6).  The  “spirits  in  prison”  of  1 Pet.  3:  18  ff.  is  in  line  with  the 
same  notion,  depending  directly  upon  Is.  24:  21  ff.,  and  we  may  compare 
the  invidious  use  of  “planets”  in  Jude  13,  in  the  expression  aoreptg  *1 avyrai 4 
But  our  text  also  bears  witness  to  another  development  of  the  myth. 
The  “binding”  of  the  Seven  Stars  and  the  zodiacal  signs  was  for  a fixed 
term.  According  to  the  passage  quoted  from  Enoch,  it  was  for  10,000 
years.  In  the  Isaianic  passage,  a term  is  fixed : “after  many  days  shall 
they  be  visited.”5  In  Peter  the  ancient  myth  is  revived  in  the  notion  of 
Christ  preaching  to  the  spirits  in  prison.  It  is  left  somewhat  obscure  what 
shall  take  place  when  “they  shall  be  visited,”  or  when  “their  sin  is  ac- 
complished” (with  Enoch).  Exegetes  differ  over  Tips'*  in  Isaiah,  whether 
the  verb  is  to  be  understand  favorably  (of  a visitation  for  release)  or  un- 
favorably (of  chastisement).  Also  the  Petrine  preaching  to  the  spirits  in 
prison  is  understood  by  commentators  in  equally  opposite  ways.  In  our 
text  the  term  of  “the  great  day”  and  “the  great  hour”  is  evidently  to  be 
one  of  release  to  the  stars  bound  in  prison.  There  appears  to  be  applied 
here  the  idea  of  a universal  Apokatastasis.  Now  for  this  notion  of  the 
redemption  of  the  imprisoned  celestial  deities  we  have  a basis  in  Babylonian 

* See  Bousset,  Hauptprobleme  der  Gnosis,  c.  i,  “Die  Sieben.”  In  the  Mandaic 
system  the  seven  planets  and  twelve  signs  have  become  utterly  evil.  In  this  line 
of  thought,  taken  up  by  magic,  there  is,  I think,  an  open  anthesis  to  astrological 
fatalism. 

5 There  is  literal  reference  to  this  passage  in  No.  34:  6, — NJipiBB . There  is 
possibility  of  confusion  between  NJpIlB  and  NjnpiB. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


137 


mythology.  In  Tablet  vii,  1.  27  f.  of  the  Epic  of  Creation  (King,  Seven 
Tablets  of  Creation),  among  the  titles  given  to  Marduk  are:  “Who  had 
mercy  upon  the  captive  gods ; who  removed  the  yoke  from  upon  the  gods 
his  enemies.”  And  Pinches  has  now  published  a text  (“Legend  of  Mero- 
dach,”  in  PSBA,  1908,  53  ff.)  which  is  a late  supplement  to  that  epic,  and 
apparently  continues  the  theme  of  the  release  of  the  captive  gods : “He 
(Marduk)  goes  down  to  the  prison,  he  rises  to  approach  the  prison.  He 
opened  the  gate  of  the  prison,  he  comforts  them.  He  looked  upon  them 
then,  all  of  them;  he  rejoices.  Then  the  captive  gods  looked  upon  him. 
Kindly  the  whole  of  them  regarded  him.”  The  “day  of  redemption”  of 
our  text  is  therefore  in  line  with  this  Babylonian  myth,  and  probably  the 
passages  from  Isaiah  and  1 Peter  are  also  to  be  explained  in  consonance 
with  it.  This  mythical  trace  probably  descends  from  the  Enoch  literature. 

5.  Abuna  is  intruded  awkwardly. — ■’bsDX  for  ’h^DX. 

6.  DTD  nnr:  the  root  nr  (HfO,  nt)  is  found  elsewhere  in  these 
bowds,  and  also  in  those  of  Pognon  and  Lidzbarski  (see  Glossary  C).  It 
is  used  in  parallelism  with  "iDX,  etc.,  in  preventive  magic.  The  verb  means 
in  the  Aramaic  dialects  “to  arm.”  But  Pognon  (B,  74)  assumes  for  the 
noun  xntXTXT  the  meaning  “admonition,”  and  Lidzbarski  ( Bph . i,  96,  n.) 
the  sense  of  “binding  up”  a letter,  etc.  But  there  is  no  necessity  in  depart- 
ing from  the  common  meaning;  it  refers  to  the  magical  armament  of  persons 
and  things  with  power  to  resist  the  forces  of  evil ; so  a passage  in  the  Ginza : 
“Arm  yourselves  with  arms  not  of  iron”  (ed.  Petermann,  p.  25,  1.  20). 
That  is,  it  is  the  magical  equipment  of  a person  or  charm  against  evil.  Paul 
may  have  been  making  use  of  well-known  magical  language  when  he 
exhorted  the  Ephesians  to  “put  on  the  panoply  of  God,”  Bph.  6:  13.  The 
following  phrase,  “a  great  wall  of  bronze,”  is  equally  parabolic;,  bronze 
possessed  atropaic  use  in  magic,  like  the  other  metals;  cf.  15:  7,  and  see 
Pauly-Wissowa,  i,  50;  a Talmudic  instance,  Sabb.,  66b. 

01  D’yaT  rox:  our  magician  displayed  the  same  assurance  in  No.  2. 
At  least  this  confidence  had  its  psychological  effect  on  the  client. 

mn3  Jinx : “hoist  with  their  own  petard” ! 


No.  5 (CBS  2952) 

ppnrpm  jnrn  dicjq  p&yn^  I’tyn^i  tnc’P  n'DPi  pc’nn  'a'nni  ptdk  n'[ON] 
np  innx  m 'atrip  dp  "pum  uris  ip  insi  rv  . . rvirp  pc  ppp-vm 
xviji  nan  si  noxi  ’i’-n ’tb>  8pi  xntr’P  (sic)  [>p  (2)  pnj’Q  nrrni  '3ns 

nypcp  pnn’DK  n’jd  cy-j’c  j>pi  pp’pn  pipiyi  pcrp  ptmm  Nnnpi  Nnci[>i 
N^pi  ni’p  no  pis  ’pn  rpp-nbtn  rpcsr'p  pcnn  nyptrp  (3)  prpD’nm  pno^ 
(elided  np  thp)  rp  notr’ntr  ^nan  non  mtpp  ip^y  rpy[ptrx]  . . 

jci  KP’pn  njdd  ici  xn^’P  xj'y  10  ’pbop  (4)  dp  -puro  rm  'PtriP  ip  thp 

nin1  ’p  by  (5)  n^o  ick  jck  pnp  ns  mrp  p>itrp  Q’Pin  nom  [>'Ptr’P  Dnw’ci 
5>x  mrp  posm  ntrc  tp  mm  'p  by  nctr  mm  mara  ns  iym  mn'  'p  by  tan’ 
(sic)  nis  nr  «!>n  D'W’3  mmpn  ip  (6)  nin’  -iyj'  ;con  ip  mn'  nyj’  ;cdh 

n^D  JCK  |CS  P’SC  ^¥1C 

Two  lines  on  either  side  of  figure  in  center. 

ni’D  pas  ics  nSii’  nyns  (7) 

n^D  ics  ics  mrc  ncs  nos 

Translation 

Wholly  charmed  and  sealed  and  bound  and  enchanted  [are  ye],  that 
ye  go  away  and  be  sealed  and  depart  from  the  house  [and  property?]  of 
Farruch  bar  Pusbi  and  Newanduch  bath  Pusbi  and  Abanduch  bath 
Pusbi,  and  that  there  depart  from  them  (2)  all  evil  Liliths  and  all  Demons 
and  Devils  and  Spells  and  Idol-spirits,  and  the  Vow  and  the  Curse  and  the 
Invocation,  and  evil  Arts  and  mighty  Works  and  everything  hostile.  Ye 
are  bound  with  the  seven  spells  and  sealed  (3)  with  the  seven  seals  in 

the  name  of  Eldedabya  Abi  Ponan,  lord  of  spoil  and  curse I conjure 

against  you  in  the  name  of  the  great  Prince,  that  thou  keep  Farruch  b.  P. 
and  Newanduch  b.  P.  (4)  from  the  Evil  Eye  and  from  the  mighty  Satan, 
and  from  . . . and  from  the  many  Satyrs  in  the  road  of  Hamad,  in  the 
name  of  Yhwh,  ’H,  B’H.  Amen,  Amen,  Selah.  (5)  “According 


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J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


139 


to  the  mouth  of  Yhwit  they  would  encamp,  and  according  to  the  mouth 
of  Yhwii  they  would  march;  the  observance  of  Yhwh  they  kept  accord- 
ing to  the  mouth  of  Yhwh  by  Moses.”  “And  Yhwh  said  to  Satan: 
Yhwh  rebuke  thee,  Satan,  Yhwh  rebuke  (6)  thee  who  chose  Jerusalem. 
Is  not  this  a brand  plucked  from  the  fire?”  Amen,  Amen,  Selah. 

Commentary 

A general  incantation  against  evil  spirits  for  a man  and  his  two  sisters. 
The  latter  half  Hebraizes. 

1 . The  duplication  of  the  ppls.  is  for  intensity,  “twice  charmed.” 
error  for  p’tDp.  — ptPTlb,  the  only  instance  of  this  verb  in  the  bowl-texts. 

THS:  cited  by  Payne  Smith,  col.  3246;  cf.  Farruchan  and  composites 
in  farruch,  Justi,  p.  95  f. — UC-’lS  ? 

1HJ3N:  Justi,  pp.  228,  1. 

m : by  heedlessness  of  construction;  cf.  1.  3. 

nun:  ntJ  (also  Talmudic)  = nnr,  see  to  3 : 2. 

2.  'hDN : the  place  of  the  term  in  the  list  shows  that  the  charms  were 
regarded  as  personal  entities.  Cf.  above,  p.  86. 

“Seven  spells,”  etc.;  cf.  the  fever-remedy  in  Sabb.  66b,  “7  twigs  from 
7 trees,  7 nails  from  7 bridges,”  etc.,  etc.  For  this  magical  number  in  the 
Talmud,  see  Blau,  pp.  73,  86,  who  quotes  the  Jewish  maxim  pyUK’n  Sd 
piran. 

3.  01  : obscure,  probably  name  of  a genius;  '3N  may  indicate 

his  paternal  relation  to  another  well-known  genius.  For  n'E  cf.  2 : 2. 

“The  great  Prince”:  the  technical  title  for  Michael  (see  p.  97).  It  is 
to  be  observed  that  this  bowl  is  peculiarly  Jewish  in  theological  form,  while 
the  following  adjurations  are  in  Hebrew.  The  double  use  of  rrptrx  intro- 
duces a mixed  construction  here.  The  verb  generally  is  used  of  exorcism, 
with  Sy  of  the  object,  — i^opd^u.  But  at  the  same  time  he  adjures  the 
great  Prince,  whom  he  addresses  in  the  second  person.  All  these  terms 
denoting  magical  binding  could  be  used  indifferently  of  the  good  and  evil 
genii.  The  angel  is  adjured  in  Hebrew,  which  according  to  belief  was  the 
only  tongue  the  angels  knew. 


140 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYRONIAN  SECTION. 


4.  “The  hobgoblins  in  the  way  of  Hamad,  the  many”;  cf.  the  Rodwell- 
Halevy  bowl  in  which  a geographical  location  is  given,  “upon  the  road  to 
Ilusi,”  and  Wohls.  2417,  a demon  who  dwells  in  Samki.  The  reference 
is  to  the  demons  which  beset  some  particular  road.  For  the  satyrs  see  p.  80. 
D’lin  in  the  text  is  awkward. 

5.  Literal  quotations  from  Num.  9:  23  (cf.  26:  1 f.).  The  applica- 
bility of  this  quotation  lies  in  its  triple  use  of  the  efficacious  word  IDE'  (as 
above  in  1.  3).  Hence  the  magical  use  of  such  Psalms  as  the  121st,  I22d, 
the  Aaronic  Blessing,  etc.  Later  Kabbalism,  found  in  the  theme  the  abbre- 
viation of  ninn  D'p’ra  dhe\  see  Schwab,  Notices  ct  Extraits  of  the  Paris 
National  Library,  xxxvi,  1 (1899),  288. 

7.  There  is  no  evident  sense  in  these  words  around  the  figure.  nynN  and 
IC’X  are  reminiscent  of  the  interpretation  of  the  Name,  Ex.  3:  14;  nbnb  = 
“avaunt”?,  HE’D  = Moses. 


No.  6 (CBS  2916) 

xrprm  nam^i  xnty’n  vrn^  (2)  nDmch  'oddS’I  'h!>i  mtyi>  pr6  ptyriDP  xdo’d 
nn  nnx-n  pnxn  in  pixi  pncy  pi  in  xi-opm  (3)  nan  xrp^i  ^rrpi  ,d,:6i 
laiu  pn-i>  lan’oi  pnnQiDD’x  by  pmn  prpmim  (4)  pp&yn  pno’y  pi!n  mxn 
xoin  uty  ’mo  aia  pn^  ioty-OD  (5)  pm  xtynm  pS’Dpi  jam  jnai  icn 
xmyi  'Jty  pnbma  (6)  xm  xntyi  Tm  pn^iD'a  pm  xrmi  w pn^ipra  pm 
tOD'nm  xmxxi  xm  xm  pppim  naiDD’XD  pr6  xmnm  xunxi  ’m’y  pn^p’a  pm 
yrisy  p!>n  dido  pni>  xjtmm  pm  xkooi  pni:'«  5m  (7)  prrnjva  p*vx  prrby 
pw)  xromn  (8)  dido  ^mai  patra  xm  dido  pro  ptyoD  nyrxi  xwn  p^a 
xnmty  dido  nna  xrPD”»n  dido  mcy a xrpyoi  dido  imna  xrprp^n  dido  bomi 

'nn  io  pdodj-pd  pna  y d>od  (9)  prom  pdoo  xrpyoty  ora  barnix 

prnrvn  xbi  xn^ai  ^n’pi  ’Dai  xnapai  nan  xm^i  xnann  noim  xncyo 

xi>i  rrWn  xa^na  x^  b)  (10)  anxn  na  nnxivt  anxn  *u  paxb  pr6 

pnaa  p^apai  xh  pn^atyn  xid’d^i  pna’am  xmoi’  paapm  x!>i  xaan  xnrDo 
bin  jai  D^iy^i  pa  xar  ja  pn^  arm  pni>  (11)  mxn  praa’p  ^aa  ptiWoi  xbi 
Dpaa  oral  xjo  ’a  navai  xnx  ’a  xpaa  ^apa  xi>  pra  pimi  aaa  xdoo  pan 
pa  xai’  tai  nan  J>ixty  yatya  non  anai  (12)  x’asy  ^aaa  n^p  boo  nDo: 

n^D  jax  tax  oby^i 


Translation 


A press  which  is  pressed  down  upon  Demons  and  Devils  and  Satans 
and  impious  Amulet-spirits  and  Familiars  and  Counter-charms  and  Liliths 
male  (3)  and  female,  that  attach  themselves  to  Adak  bar  Hathoi  and  Ahath 
bath  Hathoi — that  attach  themselves  to  them,  and  dwell  (4)  in  their  arch- 
ways, and  lurk  by  their  thresholds,  and  appear  to  them  in  one  form  and 
another,  and  that  strike  and  cast  down  and  kill.  And  this  press  (5)  I 
press  down  upon  them  in  days  and  in  months  and  in  all  years,  and  this 
day  out  of  all  days,  and  this  month  out  of  all  months,  and  this  year  (6) 
out  of  all  years,  and  this  season  out  of  all  seasons.  And  I come  and  put 
a spell  for  them  in  the  thresholds  of  this  their  house,  and  I seal  and  bind 
them.  Fastened  up  are  their  doors  (7)  and  all  their  roof. 


(141) 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


And  this  press  I press  down  upon  them  by  means  of  these  seven  words, 
by  which  heaven  and  earth  are  charmed : in  the  name  of  the  first,  Gismin 
and  Marbil;  of  the  second,  Gismin  and  Marbil;  of  the  third,  Marbil;  of  the 
fourth,  Masbar;  of  the  fifth,  Morah;  of  the  sixth,  Ardibal;  of  the  seventh 

Kibsin  (presses),  with  which  is  repressed  (9)  with  them  are 

repressed  all  evil  Spirits  and  impious  Amulet  spirits  and  Liliths  male  and 
female  and  Familiars  and  Counter-charms  and  Words,  that  they  appear 

not  to  Adak  b.  H.  and  to  i\hath  b.  H.  (10)  and  to  neither  in 

dream  by  night  nor  in  sleep  by  day,  and  that  they  approach  neither  their 
right  side  nor  their  left,  and  that  they  kill  not  their  children,  and  that 
they  have  no  power  over  their  property,  what  they  have  (11)  and  what  they 
shall  have,  from  this  day  and  forever. 

And  whoever  will  transgress  against  this  press  and  does  not  accept 
these  rites,  shall  split  asunder  violently  and  burst  in  the  midst,  and  the 
sound  of  him  shall  resound  with  the  resonance  of  brass  in  the  spheres  of 
heaven,  (12)  and  his  abode  shall  be  in  the  seventh  (?)  hell  of  the  sea, 
from  this  day  and  forever.  Amen,  Amen,  Selah. 

Commentary 

A charm  in  behalf  of  a couple  (each  with  a mother  of  the  same  name) 
and  their  household ; the  incantation  consists  in  seven  magical  words,  and 
concludes  with  a threat  against  any  who  destroy  the  bowl  and  ignore  its 
ban. 

1 . NL.*’n'2 : cf.  'bo'to  .4:1,  and  see  § 8.  Cf.  the  verb,  1.  5.  N.  B.  similar 
use  of  K’33  in  Pesikta  R.  16  (Jastrow,  p.  611):  the  sacrifices  are  “presses 
because  they  press  down  the  sins.” 

2.  ’D'J , also  12:  9,  in  both  places  before  '^Tp.  Out  of  several 
possibilities  of  interpretation  I suggest  that  of  O in  the  sense  of  “side” 
(cf.  34:  4),  and  then  one  who  is  familiar  (Jastrow,  s.  v.),  hence  = the 
wdpefipoe  or  familiar  spirit  of  the  Greek  magic;  e.  g.  the  oveiponop-oi  and 
5i -dpzfipoi  jn  Justin  Martyr,  Ap.  i,  18,  Eusebius,  H.  E.,  iv,  7:  9,  occurring  also 
in  the  magical  papyri,  Dieterich,  Abraxas,  161,  n.  They  may  be  the  genii 
invoked  by  manipulation  or  rubbing  of  the  amulet  as  in  the  Arabian 
Nights.  In  Arabic  superstition  we  learn  of  the  “follower,”  tabi‘u,  that 
accompanies  the  bewitched  man,  Noldeke,  ZDMG,  xli.  717.  And  cf.  the 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


143 


Satan  who  is  a “comrade”  to  an  evil  man,  Kami,  in  the  Koran  (e.  g.  41 : 
24),  see  van  Vloten,  WZKM,  vii,  182  ff.,  ND'J  could  be  the  Syriac  word 
for  marauding  troop,  an  appropriate  description  for  a demoniac  species, 
but  the  meaning  given  above  is  more  appropriate  in  the  context. 

3.  pIN:  cf.  the  Persian  name  Adaces,  in  Ammianus,  see  Justi,  p.  2, 
and  cf.  Noldeke,  Persische  Studien,  417. 

•"irusn:  cf.  the  Syriac  name  Hdthi,  “my  sister,”  cited  by  Payne  Smith, 
col.  1408,  here  with  the  Persian  diminutive  ending. 

Jin'nau  : the  Syriac  N31J,  “transverse  beam,”  hence  probably  door 
lintel, — so  Payne-Smith,  col.  670 ; radically  the  word  refers  to  the  arch  of 
the  doorway.  For  the  abodes  of  the  demons,  see  p.  76. 

IDT  the  same  phrase  in  the  Mandaic,  Noldeke,  Mand.  Gram., 

§ 216,  2. 

{»“),  jno:  cf.  Mk.  9:  14  fif.,  Lh.  6:  4. 

5.  For  the  selection  of  a special  day  for  the  exorcism,  see  p.  55. 

6.  NJ'tX  : unique  form;  btK  is  treated  in  some  forms  as  though  UK, 
and  here  metaplastically  as  NTK. 

NJian  : the  only  occurrence  in  the  bowls  of  this  ancient  magical  term. 
— The  root  YiY  is  used  here  not  in  its  Aramaic  sense. 

prrra  = pnnu,  cf.  1.  4. 

7.  pmj'K:  cf.  Pesah.  mb,  ’U’K  m,  of  the  demons. 

8.  These  magical  words  are  wholly  obscure;  see  § 11. 

10.  “Sleep  by  day”:  cf.  the  special  term  in  7:  16.  The  midday  siesta 
was  perilous,  especially  for  those  in  the  fields ; in  the  Greek  superstition 
this  was  the  chosen  time  for  attacks  by  the  satyrs  and  fauns,  whose  place 
was  taken  in  Jewish  legend  by  the  'TIB  BDp  a demon  representing  sun- 
stroke, etc.  See  Griinbaum,  ZDMG,  xxxi,  251  f.,  and  Roscher,  Ephialtes. 

Magical  protection  at  right  and  left  hand  is  frequently  referred  to  in 
Babylonian  sorcery;  e.  g.  the  Utukki-series  iii,  93  (Thompson,  i,  1 1 ) ; or 
four  deities  surround  the  sorcerer,  in  front  and  back,  at  right  and  left,  ibid., 
iii,  142;  the  Maklu- series,  vi,  1.  123  f.  Cf.  13:  7. 

JltB^n  : for  the  new  vowel  see  Noldeke,  Mand.  Gram.,  § 25. 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


11.  The  penalty  for  infraction  of  the  charm  is  bombastic  enough! 
For  the  threatening  of  demons,  see  above,  on  3 : 6. 

"D’J,  NpS'O : Mandaizing  spelling  for  "DW,  ypD3  ; also  NUN  = Ntiy. 
A dialectic  formula  may  be  used  here.  N.  B.  3 of  the  preformative, 
Dr:  from  Syr.  DOT,  and  v3'3  is  Syriac  over  against  the  Rabbinic  and 
Mandaic  forms. 

12.  “In  the  seventh  hell”  (with  awkward  use  of  the  numeral)  in 
contrast  to  the  seventh  heaven.  For  the  seven  hells,  see  Eisenmenger,  ii, 
302,  328  f. 


No.  7 (CBS  16007) 


This  bowl  is  a replica  to  that  published  by  Dr.  Myhrman  of  Upssala 
(No.  16081),  see  above  p.  20.  The  latter  is  more  perfect  than  my  text, 
in  fact  almost  the  only  perfect  one  in  the  collection ; for  this  reason  and 
also  for  the  value  of  comparing  the  numerous  variants  I give  the  two 
texts  in  parallel,  making  such  emendations  as  appear  necessary  in  the  first- 
published  text,  which  amount  chiefly  to  the  proper  grammatical  distinction 
of  yod  and  zvazv  and  he  and  heth.  It  may  be  observed  that  the  designs  in 
the  two  bowls  differ:  in  16007  merely  a circle  enclosing  a cross,  in  16081, 
a linear  figure,  the  stem  surmounted  by  a head  capped,  at  the  other  end  a 
pitchfork-like  termination  (the  forked  tail  of  the  demon?),  while  four  rays 
represent  the  limbs.  On  either  side  of  the  figure  are  three  characters  like 
the  Greek  2,  or  looked  at  from  the  side  like  V,  with  which  we  may  compare 
the  &’s  shuffled  into  Pognon’s  texts,  see  p.  60.  For  convenience  of  refer- 
ence I give  the  same  line-numbering  to  Myhrman’s  text  as  to  my  own. 

In  the  commentary  I make  such  few  notes  as  are  necessary  on  Dr. 
Myhrman’s  ably  edited  text. 


16007 

xmDN  no  “pam 
Kj'm*  'ami  sen  sods*  (2) 
i?  ioa’nroi  (3)  suo’nm 
pirn  ppj’J’pi  rprpa  rrt”2j 

Tl-mPN  13  (4)  PSSTP 


1 608 1 (Myhrman) 

Nnonn  na  -pem 
ssmsw  ’»rrn  ran  moss  (2) 
pa^  (3)  soonm  pa$ 


nnnss  passnoi  moss  m (4)  ”3 
03  ^31  m3  pmsp  pkpd  n3 
n^i3  prmm  pm  pm  semi 


ss3“i  swnrrn  so*i  «n!>sn  npttm 
D1SS3V1  ’’S’mi  (5)  ^ss  SHtJH 


mi  ssonmi  rm  srtfsn  nmam 


niSCSn  PH31  (5)  nan 


tmpn  sop 


. . .v  h’&j>  ^3  pp2.p  pimnt’i  pynn 


H’s?  ^3  ppsp  pynpi  pym 
HDim  ssnssttm  'nm  nnp  phi  (6) 
pin  ?3i  pnt?  f>3i  ssnmp 


p2’pn  pltOD  ^31  (6) 


(145) 


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UNIVERSITY  A1USEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


rrua  Si  a pai  mnmn  pai  nm'3  pa 
[pinni’]x  “u  nxmp  pnnn 
“3  xao’nnai  xao’nm  pS  xnxv  am  (7) 
imaaty’a  nm  rpmmpi  n{'nn]i  rntyea 
pmanrx  [in  (8)  ixTrji 

Sx’2ni  Sx’3’01  Sx’nai!  D1B>3 
xan  sn]2  D’amxi  naxSa  Sx’oy  Sxoy 
Xan  1P3X1  (9)  [W'3  in’  D1K-3 
xnxaa  Tim  xnaaa  xan  oanaxi 
m3  xnaaa  nnxtna  rnm  x3[ana]i 
nm’J’pi  (10)  [ii'mn  mnn]  n’traa 

pnnn 

m3  xaa’nnoi  pmnrx  na  nxmp 
liri'D  xnnn  nnn[m  n]nm  ntraa 
pan  pan’  xSn  \x:xa  na 
’pmx  pana  !mi  (11)  pr[’3  pm]n  in 

ini 

ini  xna3  ini  xnnp  ini  xnpay 
ini  ”trp  nnnn  ini  ...  331  nym 
nai[n  ini  najna  ini  ’tma  naD 
’2’pn  (12)  ’p’TB  i31  [xn’Jan’T 
pin  jo  pni  xapmo  3n  n’  n’nn  fan 

xnn 

mionp  ton  paana  n3  paana  man 
n5o|>n]  pma  pyp  ’ninn3  jai  xa’  yr 

nn  nnn 

rpnmm  ixniro  nan  (13)  n’Bia”[ai] 
nay  x3  mnnaa  iy  tao’x  nai  xmra 
pan[’]  xiaai  pnn  xrn  xn 
’ Di3i  ’ a ’ t i ’trxnna  ’ai  mnn  nn 
[xnnpji  xnpjyi  mm  n[a]’pi 
maim  xnxa’n  ’mm  (14)  xnaiii 

nnx’jnn 


xumx  ’33  ia  jai  xn’a  pnn  nin  jo 

na  pan 

pai»  xao’nnai  pai  xanxv  am  (7) 

’innxi  nnnx  ’isa^ai  raaox  na  (8)  ”j 
naasna  n’ai  n3i3  pnn  xn’ai  nna 
ixmn  oitaai  ixm’ai  ixnaa  citya 
xan  xno  D’onnai  ixmyi 
nan  maxi  (9)  ina  in’  omn 
xnao  ’nnn  xanaaa  nan  oanaxi 
pai  xanaaai  xntna  mnn  xaianai 
pa!5  xao’nnoi  pa!5  xannaai 

pnn  xnm  p!>’x  ’innxi  naa’ai  ”3  (10) 

nin 

pni  pan’  xin 
331  ’!>3ao  331  ’im  3ai  (11)  n’ty  ia 

xnaiii  nana  3ai  xniaaai  xn’!”!5 

”a>p  mao  3ai  xnpayi 

pa>’3  (12)  pp’ta  3ai 
pn3  xapmana  3m  m’  pan 

mionp  pan  paana  na  paana  aitra 
p’yr  pma  mnnaai  xa’  xyr 

xnm  ran  i’xn&ya  nan  (13)  matyni 
nay  x3  n’maa  by  tamx  nai  xmra 
nmi  m’ty  pan’  xiaai  pnn  xn  xn 
xnpayi  xnaiii  xniaaai  xn33i 
xnnanai  n[anai]  xnmpi 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


147 


nriN'^i  'Wi  rmN’jTKn  'Tty  xpdni 
•’ty 3 'p'TJD  ^>31  'B”3  ’:ddi  'yiSI 
pt5>'3  pP'TD  ^3  [l]  fOI'ISR 

[K]n'n  nicroi  ndddi  Kvp'ty  midto 
xnmKi  Nppj  manm  (15)  tcaiyi 
ipisi  ib’taa  pjrj  ^33i  loi  ^33i 
n^iD  poi  n'mn  poi  n'no  po 
•pnr’K  in  in-pt’  pirn  rinja 
'XJK3  r>3  rpnmx  inpc  poi 
bD  poi  pnron  poi  pn'J3  poi 
pnTi’O  ’cjo\x 
Kty'3  «5>N3n  i in 3 p^rpn  k!h  (16) 

pnrp  tiris'n  ab)  pnrp  pjcy'n  k!>i 
pn 3 porpn  xh 
KD^'ra  k!>  pni>  prnn'n  t^i 
pn  hop  jo  Noon  Kmnco 
nJ>D  }on  [on  t^yih 
Kjy3tyoi  npoio  myi 


ppno  ^3i  'jodi  'yjai  (14) 
ton 'on 

Nmn  nion'3i  NDom  NXp'cy  moT3 
nnnNi  xn3J  nioi'31  (15)  «2i[yi] 
ipisi  lb'03  pJU  ^331  ion  ^331 

to 

"J 
'iDtyoi 
I'Ij'k  'Hpni 
pm  pon'n 

Nty'3  K^3n  J1H3  ti^3n'n  nSji  (16) 
(sic)  pnnn'33  pnn’n  n!>i 

n^'in  pno^m  rub  pn^>  prnn'n  n5i 
pn  Kop  to  Noon  pnnptm  n!>i 
P^D  JON  ion  D^iy^i 


pynty  po'pjn  pm;  py35^3i  nnsnity  'nyoi  “ion;  d'dso  nop  toe  -pno'  i^y  (17) 
penoo  pjn't  p^330  ^>3  pn3  n'V't^i  pam  p-pty  i>3  pn3  bopoS  NnNsnn  pjoo 

n'l^n  n^o  ion  ion  tin'ony  by  'om  pn:i; 


Translation 

In  thy  name,  O Lord  of  salvations,  (2)  the  great  Saviour  of  love. 

I bind  to  thee  and  seal  (3)  and  counterseal  to  thee,  the  life,  house  and 
property  of  this  Yezidad  (4)  bar  Izdanduch;  in  the  name  of  the  great 
God,  and  with  the  seal  of  Shadda  El,  (5)  and  by  the  splendor  of  Sebaoth, 
and  by  the  great  glory  of  the  Holy  One : that  all  ...  Demons  and  all 
mighty  Satans  remove  and  betake  themselves  and  go  out  (6)  from  the 
house  and  from  the  dwelling  and  from  the  whole  body  of  this  Yezidad 
b.  I. 

(7)  Again  I bind  to  thee  (Myhrman,  to  you)  and  seal  and  counterseal 
to  thee  (M.  to  you)  the  life  and  house  and  property  and  bedchamber  of 
Yezidad  (8)  b.  I.,  in  the  name  of  Gabriel  and  Michael  and  Raphael,  and 
in  the  name  of  the  angel  ‘Asiel  and  Ermes  (Hermes)  the  great  Lord.  [In 


148 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


the  name  of  Yahu-in-Yahu]  (9)  and  the  great  Abbahu  and  the  great 
Abrakas  (Abraxas),  the  guardian  of  good  spirits  and  destroyer  of  evil 
spirits,  I guard  to  thee  (M.  to  you)  the  life,  house,  dwelling  (10)  and 
property  of  this  Yezidad  b.  I.  And  I seal  to  thee  (M.  to  you)  the 
life,  house  and  dwelling  of  this  Merduch  bath  Banai,  that  there  sin  not 
against  you  (M.  them)  all  evil  Arts  (11)  and  all  (magic)  Circles  and  all 
Necklace-spirits  and  all  Invocations  and  all  Curses  and  all  Losses  and  all 
. . . and  all  sore  Maladies  and  all  evil  Satans  and  all  Idol-spirits  and  all 
impious  Amulet-spirits  and  all  mighty  Tormentors,  (12)  which  under  my 
own  hand  I banish  from  this  house  in  the  name  of  Pharnagin  bar  Pharnagin, 
before  whom  trembles  the  sea  and  behind  whom  tremble  the  mountains, 
in  the  name  of  HH,  HH,  and  in  the  name  of  (13)  Bar-mesteel,  whose 
proscription  is  proscribed  and  none  trespasses  upon  his  ward. 

Lo,  this  mystery  is  for  frustrating  you.  Mysteries,  Arts,  and  enchanted 
Waters  and  Hair-spirits,  Bowls  and  Knots  and  Vows  and  Necklace-spirits 
and  Invocations  and  Curses  ( 14)  and  evil  Spirits  and  impious  Amulet- 
spirits.  And  now,  Demons  and  Demonesses  and  Lilis  and  Liliths  and 
Plagues  and  evil  Satans  and  all  evil  Tormentors,  which  appear — and  all 
evil  Injurers — in  the  likeness  of  vermin  and  reptile  and  in  the  likeness  of 
beast  and  bird  (15)  and  in  the  likeness  of  man  and  woman,  and  in  every 
likeness  and  in  all  fashions : Desist  and  go  forth  from  the  house  and  from 
the  dwelling  and  from  the  whole  body  of  this  Yezidad  b.  I.  and  from 
Merduch  his  wife  b.  B.,  and  from  their  sons  and  their  daughters  and  all 
the  people  of  their  house,  (16)  that  ye  injure  them  not  with  any  evil 
injury,  nor  bewilder  nor  amaze  them,  nor  sin  against  them,  nor  appear  to 
them  either  in  dream  by  night  or  in  slumber  by  day,  from  this  day  and 
forever.  Amen,  Amen,  Selah. 

And  again  I swear  and  adjure  (17)  thee:  May  the  great  Prince  expel 
thee,  he  who  breaks  thy  body  and  removes  thy  tribe.  And  by  the  seventy 
Men  who  hold  seventy  sickles,  wherewith  to  kill  all  evil  Demons  and  to 
destroy  all  impious  Tormentors, — are  they  cast  prostrate  in  troops  and 
thrown  on  their  beds.  Amen,  Amen,  Selah,  Halleluia. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


149 


Commentary 

A charm  made  out  for  a man,  his  wife  and  household,  against  all 
manner  of  demons. 

A comparison  of  these  bowls,  each  written  by  a facile  scribe  with  a 
well  formed  ductus,  throws  light  on  the  history  of  the  transmission  and 
development  of  our  magical  inscriptions.  Myhrman’s  text  is  shorter,  in 
the  other  an  appendix  has  also  been  added  addressed  against  some  particular 
but  unnamed  demon.  The  spelling  in  M.  is  more  archaic,  avoiding  matres 
lectionis,  the  masc.  pronom.  suffix  being  represented  by  n alone,  n is  gener- 
ally used  for  final  a,  the  antique  form  top'DJno  is  found  (1.  6),  as  also  the 
true  reproduction  of  Hermes  by  n.  Also  my  text  is  more  confused  in  the 
arrangement  of  the  exorcised  powers,  M.  follows  the  historical  order. 
Formally  then  M.  appears  to  be  the  elder  text,  in  comparison  with  which 
mine  is  more  inflated. 

The  most  interesting  point  of  difference  is  this : in  M.  the  sealing 
is  done  “to  you”  throughout,  but  in  my  text  “to  thee”  (1.  2,  etc.).  This 
plural  has  justly  troubled  Myhrman,  and  he  suggests  three  possible 
explanations.  But  I believe  the  only  explanation  is  that  his  text  is 
polytheistic  or  rather  a product  of  the  common  magic  religion ; in  expressing 
three  names  of  “the  great  God”  Elaha,  Shaddai  and  Sebaoth,  the  magician 
regarded  them  as  a trinity  of  deities,  just  as  in  the  magical  papyri  these 
Jewish  (and  other)  divine  names  are  invoked  as  so  many  deities  (see 
§ n).1  M’s  text  is  then  of  eclectic  religious  character.  My  text  abjures 
all  such  polytheism,  but  that  it  is  secondary  to  the  other  is  shown  by 
comparing  them  in  11.  9 and  io.  M.  retains  its  polytheistic  plural;  my 
text  has  clung  to  the  form,  but  misunderstanding  it  has  read  'D'S  (i.  e. 

13^  = "ob  = ") , and  I suppose  made  it  refer  to  the  following  fem- 
inine or  to  some  feminine  demon.  For  the  same  reason  it  reads, 
awkwardly,  }133  in  1.  io  for  the  correct  }ir6.  Thus  an  eclectic  text,  or 
its  original,  in  which  the  deities  invoked  are  the  names  of  the  Jewish 
God,  has  fallen  into  more  orthodox  hands  and  produced  our  monotheistic 

1 Cf.,  among  the  seven  planetary  spirits  of  the  Ophites  (Origen,  C.  Cels.,  vi,  31) 
law,  XafSau ASuvaiog,  E/lwa«)f ; the  “angels”  A Suvai,  Baar/ijfi,  I nuj  Dieterich,  Abraxas, 
182,  1.  12;  also  in  Pradel’s  Christian  texts,  Sabaoth  and  Adonai  are  found  among 
angel-names  (p.  4 7). 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


text,  leaving  but  a trace  or  two  of  its  original  source.  Such  are  the  com- 
plications of  this  magic ! 

i . The  opening  singular  invocation  does  not  agree  with  the  following 
plural  in  M. 

"1NTP  : name  of  a Nestorian  writer,  Payne  Smith,  col.  1586;  Justi,  p. 
149,  thinks  the  Syriac  form  an  error,  but  our  text  confirms  it.  Our  word 
could  be  Semitic  = "n  TP.  Also  note  Izeddad  in  Justi,  p.  147. 

4.  TnnPN:  Justi,  p.  146. 

With  tJ2DN,  M,  cf.  in  addition  to  his  reference  to  Aspenaz,  Dan.  1:  3, 
the  name  Aspazanda,  Clay,  BE,  x,  41. 

5.  'Y’Y : plural,  “the  rays  of  light.”  This  and  the  following  term 
represent  Hebrew  PUD. 

pjTP:  with  expression  of  the  half-vowel,  as  in  cases  cited  earlier; 
cf.  Stiibe,  1.  62.  For  the  following  Hithpalpel,  s.  Jastrow,  p.  407. 

pnT,  M:  so  the  spelling  surely,  see  above,  p.  81. 

6.  “from  the  body”:  cf.  the  <t>vXaKTt/piov  aufiarofv?^,  London  Papyrus,  1. 
589,  Wessely,  xlii,  39. 

8.  For  the  angels,  see  § 13;  for  four  angels  (cf.  the  four  gods  sur- 
rounding the  magician  in  Babylonian  magic;  see  above,  on  6:  10)  see  Luek- 
en,  Michael,  34  f.  Nuriel-Uriel  is  generally  the  fourth.  In  Stiibe,  1.  58, 
takes  this  place.  bn'O]!  occurs  in  Safer  Raziel,  s.  Schwab,  Vocabulaire,  214, 
and  probably  in  a text  of  Pradel’s  (p.  22.  1.  16),  where  aca  and  a<pa  doubtless 
= Asael  and  Raphael.  N.  B.  the  care  with  which  the  scribe  rewrites  the 
name  of  Asiel ; all  four  names  are  made  to  terminate  in  -iel. 

D'DTN  = M.  D'oth  (the  latter  the  closest  to  the  Greek  of  our 
spellings)  = Hermes,  see  to  2:  2.  Myhrman's  suggestion,  which  I 
originally  (and  independently)  favored,  that  the  word  is  Hormiz  = 
Ahura-mazda,  is  ruled  out  by  the  fact  that  that  element  in  our  proper 
names  is  given  by  PDTn  . 

irp2  it:  cf.  Stiibe,  1.  15  T3T  TDtrn;  Pognon  B,  no.  5,  N'2  rr  ; n'2P, 
above  2:2  ( q . v.)  ; run  in',  13:  7.  in'  ancient  form  of  the  divine  Name, 
appearing  (apart  from  biblical  proper  names  and  probable  Babylonian 
forms)  in  the  Assouan  papyri,  in  the  Greek  magical  papyri  (Deissmann, 
Bibelstiidien,  4 ff,  Blau,  p.  128  ff.)  as  lau,  surviving  among  the  modern 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


151 


Samaritans  (Montgomery,  JBL,  1906,  50,  n.  5),  and  used  in  the  magical 
texts  current  at  Mossoul  ( PSBA , xxviii,  97).  I think  the  doubled  term 
here  is  theosophic:  Yah-in-Yah;  cf.  the  Christian  Logos-doctrine  and  its 
terms,  and  Kabbalism.  It  is  possible  that  Stiibe’s  rvarp  = Yahbeh  (ia/fy) 
= Yahweh.  At  all  events  this  spelling-out  of  the  full  Tetragrammaton 
occurs  in  a proper  name  below,  26 : 4. 

9.  max,  and  pns  below,  1.  12,  probably  correctly  diagnosed  by 
Myhrman  as  exalted  sorcerers’  names ; see  above  p.  47.  For  the  two 
Amoraim  Abbahu,  see  Jew.  Enc.,  s.  v.  A suggestion  in  another  line  is 
possible  for  Abbahu.  King  in  his  Gnostics  and  their  Remains / London, 
1887,  246,  says  that  the  Pantheus  or  representation  of  the  pantheistic  Deity 
of  the  Gnostics,  appearing  on  the  Gnostic  gems,  “is  invariably  inscribed 
with  his  proper  name  iao  and  his  epithets  abpaeax  and  SABAtie  and  often 
accompanied  with  invocations  such  as  ....  abaanaoanaaba,  ‘thou  art  our 
Father.’  ” Our  Abbahu  may  represent  this  epithet  and  the  passage  would 
accordingly  preserve  three  of  the  Gnostic  designations  of  Deity : Yahu, 
Father,  Abraxas.  For  Abraxas  see  above,  p.  5 7,  and  for  treatments  of 
the  subject  and  bibliographies  the  articles  “Abrasax”  in  Hauck’s  Realencyk., 
Jewish  Encyc.,  and  especially  the  splendid  monograph  by  Leclercq,  in 
Dictionnaire  de  I’archeologie  chretienne,  etc.  Variants  in  the  bowls  are 
D'Dmnx  and  D’DiEN  . These  forms  represent  Abraxas  as  against  the  original 
form  Abrasax,  hence  I use  the  former  word  in  the  present  volume.  Myhr- 
man remarks  (p.  345)  : “As  over  against  the  view  of  Blau-Kohler  (Jew. 
Enc.  i,  130b)  this  would  prove  to  be  at  least  ‘a  single  reliable  instance’  of 
this  name  occurring  in  Flebrew” — or  at  least  in  a Jewish  document,  as 
my  text  is.  Abraxas  is  found  in  Sefer  Raziel,  5a. 

XJbinD,  NJTtDJO  : instances  of  the  Syriac  nominal  formation  from  de- 
rived stems. 

Xfltota  urn  : recalling  the  Jewish  “good  demons,”  see  above,  p.  76. 
The  expression  is  also  reminiscent  of  the  Greek  aya-So*;  Satfjuv  t frequent  in 
magic. 

tOTOJD  (2d)  : ppl.  w.  suffix.  It  is  represented  by  three  ppls.  in  M., 
the  second  = KJ'iroo,  which  M.  translates,  with  a query,  “pierce.”  This 
is  impossible;  I would  suggest  to  read  n for  n,  and  understand  the  Afel, 


152 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


= (Rabb.)  Heb.  T3TH  , of  naming  a person  to  a deity  and  so  placing  him 
under  his  protection. 

10.  THTD:  Mer-ducht,  = Mithra-ducht,  Justi,  p.  208,  Bcmerk. 

WJX3  = XJN3  27:  8;  a masc.  name  among  the  Jews,  Sefer  ha-Doroth 
ii,  84.  But  these  names  appear  to  be  indifferently  masc.  and  fern. ; cf.  1 : 4. 
The  same  name  ’33  is  found  in  Nabataean  and  Palmyrene  inscriptions, 
Lidzbarski,  Handbuch,  238,  and  = the  frequent  Babylonian  Bani-ia,  cf. 
the  name  lists  in  Clay,  BE,  viii,  pt.  1,  pp.  ix,  x. 

11.  ’p’SN  pJiD  , occurring  frequently  in  the  unpublished  No.  2918. 
I interpret  this  from  the  Syriac  KED,  as  of  the  magic  circle,  cf.  X’JfcOn  lam, 
39:  7,  and  see  p.  88.  The  circle  was  used  particularly  for  necromancy  and 
devil-raising.  Cf.  Eliphas  Levi,  Dogme  et  rituel  de  la  haute  magic,  Paris. 
1856,  ii,  1.  14.  The  objection  to  this  interpretation  is  the  entire  obscurity 
Of  'P’EX  . 

nyc:  for  nyya,  is‘dr,  cf.  Maclean,  Diet,  of  Vernacular  Syriac,  193b;  for 
the  meaning,  see  p.  94,  above. 

For  the  epithet  "C’p,  cf.  the  epithets  xa^C7rE,  violentus,  etc.,  of  the 
demons;  cases  cited  by  Tambornino,  Dc  ant.  daemonismo,  15,  23. 

12.  “under  my  own  hand”:  there  is  much  imitation  of  legal  forms  in 
magical  formulas. 

pjJis:  evidently  a Persian  name;  Myhrman  as  from  farna,  “good 
fortune,”  and  gin  ( ?)  comparing  Pharnakes,  etc.,  Justi,  p.  92-96.  I may 
compare  the  Persian  name  Frenanh,  Justi,  p.  105b. 

pyt,  yr,  parallel  to  M’s  p'yt,  ayr,  in  the  latter  as  from  root  ayf. 

13.  banco  13  = M.  b'anen  13,  translated  there  “son  of  the  inquirer 
of  the  oracle.”  We  must  go  to  the  Assyrian  for  the  explanation.  There 
the  corresponding  form  mustalu  means  one  who  gives  an  oracle  upon  being 
asked,  i.  e.  an  oracle-giver,  and  is  an  epithet  of  deity.  See  Jastrow,  JBL, 
xix,  99,  and  the  reff.  in  Delitzsch,  Ass.  Hzvb.,  s.  v.  bac . The  expression 
has  the  connotation  of  deciding  the  fates,  with  which  cf.  the  following 
phrase  in  our  text  amu  n'nrm  33  may  here  be  used  like  the  Arabic  ibn, 
without  modifying  its  regimen.  Or  may  the  phrase  = baru  mustalu, 
“oracle-giving  seer”?  Some  ancient  phrase  has  been  conventionalized  and 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


153 


personified.  For  the  following  expression  concerning  the  inviolability  of 
the  “decree,”  cf.  38:  8. 

'Ci’NinD  ns:  ppl.  pass.  The  root  Bnn  came  to  be  used  particularly  of 
poisoning.  The  ,2,T  are  probably  “hairs,”  Syriac  zeppa.  Any  portion  of 
a person’s  body,  especially  hairs,  nails,  etc.,  as  detachable,  could  be  used  in 
magic  directed  against  him.  See  Thompson,  Scm.  Magic,  Index,  v. 
“hair,”  and  with  abundant  citation  of  comparative  magic,  Abt,  Apulcius, 
179  fif. ; also  Blau,  p.  161. 

14.  For  the  appearance  of  devils  in  animal  forms,  cf.  the  reply  of  the 
demon  to  St.  Michael  in  a text  of  Pradel’s  (p.  23)  : “I  enter  their  houses 
metamorphosed  as  snake,  dragon,  vermin,  quadruped.” 

15.  ppj  - gewciriin,  cf.  1.  16,  vs.  M.  pia  gawwanin  or  gaunin  (?). 

16.  flbarpn,  jwn  : Paels,  with  ’ for  preformative  half-vowel.  I 
understand  )Wn  and  JlTiDTi,  of  the  demoniac  bewilderment  of  the 
victim  (see  Jastrow,  ,y.  vv.),  or  actual  insanity.  M.  has  for  these  verbs 
“)1Trn  sb  in  their  house";  Myhrman’s  translation,  “shall  not  dwell,”  would 
require  jyrnn.  It  looks  as  if  JlTm  is  for  jvna’n,  or  an  error  for  jHVn, 
from  N“n  = “ns. 

xmnt?:  so  also  8:11,  but  generally  in  parallel  occurrences,  e.  g.  Myhr- 
man’s text,  xro’C?.  The  same  noun  is  found  in  the  Mandaic,  'E’l  NIUE? 
{Ginza,  Norberg’s  text,  ii,  18,  1.  12),  and  the  verb,  236^1  “int?  (ib.,  1.  19). 
It  means  to  “snore,  sleep  profoundly”  (cf.  Heb.  ntDTin)  = Arabic  Sahara. 
Cf.  6:  10. 

17.  N3"i  SOD : cf.  5:  31  and  see  p.  97.  D'DDO:  cf.  Ass.  pasasu. 

“70  men  holding  70  sharp  sickles” : i.  e.  the  70  angels  or  shepherds, 
representing  the  70  nations,  Enoch  89:  59  (originally  regarded  as  good 
angels,  Schiirer,  GJV3,  iii,  198,  n.  32,  Lueken,  Michael,  14,  but  later  legend 
regarded  them  as  fallen).  The  “sharp  sickles”  are  an  echo  of  Rev. 
14:  14  ff.,  where  the  Peshitto  uses  the  same  words  as  here.  This  coin- 
cidence (cf.  also  Mt.  13:  37  ff.)  argues  for  a common  source  of  ideas. 

rPVBk  inf.  of  'VE’,  Targumic  but  not  Talmudic. 

psriDD  : Pael  pass,  ppl.,  of  the  Syriac  and  Mandaic  root  “prostrate.” 
Or  possibly  cf.  the  Rabbinic  meaning  “put  on  a cover,”  with  reference  to 
the  inverting  of  the  bowls,  see  to  4:  1,  6:  1.  The  “beds”  are  metaphorical 
of  weakness  and  subjection,  cf.  Is.,  50:  11. 


No.  8 (CBS  9013) 


nxc  13  ’tMV a pin  n’nui  xn»nn!>  xds  pin  lore  xnxiox  non  nwa 

xn*J**^i  xi3*i  *i^  xn*i”!>  i>x  mi’  i*3i  n*nfcy*3  xrur*3  xn*W  nro  (2)  nrm 
pn*n*^y  [i^eiy  p3*n&y]*cni  p3*ny3ix  p3*n*^n  (3)  xn*2Dm  xmaStri  xmp*: 
n*oty  Dn^a  p3*3xi  (4)  p3*^*y  y*oty  p3’3J  twin*  *on  panyo  i*riDi  pn’ty’ii’  xbi 
13  ’tova  pirn  n’mn  pci  n*n*3  po  *pisi  *mvi  ^yccy  net?  nnl>a  pa'O'xi 

xh  n*n*33  xi*  pnS  prnn*n  xb  3im  mxo  113  (5)  n*nn*x  *oy*i  pci  'xoxo 
p3*o*xi  n*or  Dn^£  p3*3xi  p3^y  y*otn  h 0*0  [pn]*33y”e  n’33  x5i  pn*m*i3 
x*ni2  i3  ytyin*  ’31  xnoir  p3*!>y  nSm  p3*^y  y*05n  ii  o*o  noty  nn^a  (6) 
xa!>  my  xd*j  p3*o*x  nni>a  anyai  (7)  p3*ax  ari^a  [xip*3  pa^y]  nvc-x 
xim  xo*^a  xa^ai  n*ojy*a  i*3*iii*nii  p3*yio*iy>  n*3  3113  naimxi  x*oty  pc 
xn*^i  xi3*i  *!**^  xn*W  ’lux  pamoai  (8)  p3*c*a  *3iio*ai  *20*11  'd5>  2*no 
lex  pern  s'ma  13  ytyin*  [*>31]  . . . xnosya  in  xrpaom  xn’j^tyi  xn3*po 

n’3  3*113  nawKi  xo*  i3*y  pc  *3^  xnx  xo*a  (9)  s’ma  13  ytyin*  *21  xa^> 

pni5  y*oty  . . . x'nrrx  pc  . . . nosy  nnl>2  p2*c*xi  n*esy  aiPa  i*3*3x[i] 
pc  * [pi]di  *mvi  *ycty  xma  xia  xom  . . . sy*a  pc*sy  (10)  pixpi  xy*pi  po 
Dim  mxo  ji3  n*nn*x  ■’icr* [i  pci  *xcxc]  13  *xji*ii  pin  n*m*i  pci  n*n*3 
i*xi  rpnppyc  ’nc’nm  ^>10*0  xeon  xmnsya  xh  xo^na  xi>  (11)  tm!>  prnrpn  x!> 
x [i3*i  *]^i>  xn’^t’i’  *n]ax  *mciPi  nyasyai  x’ms  13  ysyin*  n*ai  xnppyai  *ity 
pnv*  nv3  max  1*3X3  p3^>  xayasyo  xn*2om  xn’jpyi  xnap’J  (12)  xn*Wi 
p3*J*y  (13)  xj’cic  . . . n*ci  xna*in..x  ii3*r  n.3  pro  ice  n.3  3py*  *isya 
. . . J?  pmaai  *20*11  *cxc  13  nPya  *xai*a  pci  nixc  nc  *usyi  xnn  pc  p3D*n 
j^na  xna  n[ix]3>*  ••  • pa  pjy*ip  pax^o  1*3  nPtye  ji  . . . 3 pu’ty  nu*xi 
ityx  n*nx  *^*i  c*c3i  ixd*3  rxa  mnnc”c  m*nn  c*ieiy  (14)  c*ja  i>x  *3131 

J*x  . . . . 3 psy*iP  paxPei  xnoioai  icr  cty  . . ice*  icy  px  ice*  n*nx 

X3X^C  !*X’ipy3*  X31  X3X*ic  ^X’P3P3P31  X31  (15)  X3X^*C  5>X’1Ty31  X31  [X3X]^*C 

m;*xi  [* ] c*3  *p3* p xnxy*3  xn*^*^  *nax  ix  xnxty*3  xnpjy  n*ipy  X3i 

i!*d  lex  jcx  ci*iyh  pi  xci*  pc  pn*i*y  pnn*n  x^  31m  (16) [pi]3*r 

xnty*3  xnm  [xnc]*3  xn*^*i’  x 3in  bx*iaa  . . . *m^y  *c*nn 


(154) 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


155 


n-iNO  na  [pnsn]  *nn  pc  ppmrpn  . . . ptepTi  ix  n.arnp  bv  (17) 

rmi’i’n  ni>D  px  px  [p’]r6  po’prm 
Translation 

In  the  name  of  the  Lord  of  salvations. 

Designated  is  this  bowl  for  the  sealing  of  the  house  of  this  Geyonai  bar 
Mamai,  that  there  flee  (2)  from  him  the  evil  Lilith,  in  the  name  of  ‘Yhwh 
El  has  scattered’ ; the  Lilith,  the  male  Lilis  and  the  female  Liliths,  the 
Hag  (ghost?)  and  the  Ghul,  (3)  the  three  of  you,  the  four  of  you  and 
the  five  of  you;  [naked]  are  you  sent  forth,  nor  are  you  clad,  with  your 
hair  dishevelled  and  let  fly  behind  your  backs.  It  is  made  known  to  you, 
(4)  whose  father  is  named  Palhas  and  whose  mother  Pelahdad : Hear 
and  obey  and  come  forth  from  the  house  and  the  dwelling  of  this  Geyonai 
b.  M.  and  from  Rasnoi  his  wife  (5)  hath  Marath. 

And  again,  you  shall  not  appear  to  them  in  his  (sic)  house  nor  in 
their  dwelling  nor  in  their  bedchamber,  because  it  is  announced  to  you, 
whose  father  is  named  Palhas  and  whose  mother  (6)  Pelahdad, — because 
it  is  announced  to  you  that  Rabbi  Joshua  bar  Perahia  has  sent  against  you 
the  ban.  1 adjure  you  [by  the  glory  (=  name)]  of  Palhas  your  father 
(7)  and  by  the  name  of  Pelahdad  your  mother.  A divorce-writ  has  come 
down  to  us  from  heaven  and  there  is  found  written  in  it  for  your  advise- 
ment and  your  terrification,  in  the  name  of  Palsa-Pelisa  (‘Divorcer- 
Divorced’),  who  renders  to  thee  thy  divorce  and  thy  separation,  your 
divorces  (8)  and  your  separations.  Thou,  Lilith,  male  Lili  and  female 
Lilith,  Hag  and  Ghul,  be  in  the  ban  ....  [of  Rabbi]  Joshua  b.  P. 

And  thus  has  spoken  to  us  Rabbi  Joshua  b.  P. : (9)  A divorce  writ 
has  come  for  you  (thee?)  from  across  the  sea,  and  there  is  found  written 
in  it  [against  you],  whose  father  is  named  Palhas  and  whose  mother 
Pelahdad,  ....  they  hear  from  the  firmament  (10)  ....  Hear  and  they 
and  go  from  the  house  and  from  the  dwelling  of  this  Geyonai  b.  M.  and 
from  Rasnoi  his  wife  b.  M. 

And  again,  you  shall  not  appear  to  them  (11)  either  in  dream  by 
night  nor  in  slumber  by  day,  because  you  are  sealed  with  the  signet  of 
El  Shaddai  and  with  the  signet  of  the  house  of  Joshua  b.  Perahia  and  by 
the  Seven  ( ?)  which  are  before  him.  Thou  Lilith,  male  Lili  and  female 


156 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


Lilith,  Llag  and  Ghul,  I adjure  you  by  the  Strong  One  of  Abraham,  by 
the  Rock  of  Isaac,  by  the  Shaddai  of  Jacob,  by  Yah  ( ?)  his  name  ....  by 
Yah  his  memorial  ....  I adjure  (13)  you  to  turn  away  from  this  Rasnoi 
b.  M.  and  from  Geyonai  her  husband  b.  M.  Your  divorce  and  writ  ( ?) 
and  letter  of  separation  ....  sent  through  holy  Angels  ....  the  Hosts  of 
fire  in  the  spheres,  the  Chariots  of  El-Panim  before  him  standing,  (14) 
the  Beasts  worshipping  in  the  fire  of  his  throne  and  in  the  water,  the 
Legions  of  I-am-that-I-am,  this  his  name  ....  And  by  the  adjuration 
of  holy  Angels,  by  ....el  the  great  angel,  and  by  ‘Azriel  the  great  angel, 
(15)  and  by  Kabkabkiel  the  great  angel,  and  by ‘Akariel  the  great  angel, 
I uproot  the  evil  Necklace-spirits.  Moreover  you  evil  Liliths,  evil  Counter- 
charms, ....  and  the  letter  of  divorce  (16).  And  again,  do  not  return 
to  them  from  this  day  and  forever.  Amen,  Amen,  Selah.  Sealed  upon 
him  ....  Gabriel  ( ?). 

Again  (I  adjure  you),  evil  Lilith  and  evil  Spirit  ....  (17)  ....  or 
kill  ....  depart  from  this  Rasnoi  b.  M.  And  be  they  preserved  for  life! 
Amen,  Amen,  Selah,  Halleluia. 

Commentary 

A charm  for  a man  and  his  wife,  particularly  against  the  Liliths  (a 
picture  of  one  of  which  obscene  creatures  decorates  the  bowl),  made  out 
in  the  form  of  a divorce-writ.  The  inscription  is  very  indistinct  and  towards 
the  end  becomes  almost  illegible.  No.  17  is  in  large  part  an  abbreviated 
and  mutilated  replica. 

1.  \S3VJ:  Gewanai  (cf.  7:  15),  or  Ge(y)onai  (from  pso,  or  p J , 
“color”?).  Cf.  'XJVJ  appearing  in  Bar  Bahlul’s  Syriac-Arabic  lexicon, 
where  it  is  equated  with  zvald,  etc.,  to  which  Payne-Smith  adds,  “vox 
corrupta  ex  yrfvoc,”  Thcs.,  col.  708. 

’ONE,  and  below  ’XDXD.  in  No.  15  xoxo:  one  of  the  most  frequent 
feminine  names  in  these  texts;  see  Noldeke,  IVZKM,  vi,  309,  Lidzbarski, 
Epli.  i,  75  f.,  97,  n.  3;  ii,  419.  Budge  in  his  edition  of  Thomas  of  Marga’s 
Book  of  Governors  (ii,  648)  gives  a note  contributed  by  Tensen  that  Mami 
is  a name  of  belit  ildni,  the  mother-goddess. 

2.  xntJ’U  njtTS  : the  generic  lilith  is  differentiated  into  several  different 
species,  the  male  and  the  female,  the  ghost  and  the  vampire,  hence  “the 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


157 


3,  the  4,  and  the  5 of  you”  below.  In  the  following  text  it  is  a question 
whether  the  2d  per.  sing,  or  plur.  should  be  read  in  many  places.  The  two 
numbers  are  clearly  distinguished  in  1.  7,  end.  But  the  obscurity  consists 
in  the  equivalence  of  'ab  and  pap,  like  the  case  of  the  loss  of  J in  the 
verbal  forms  in  pn  in  later  Aramaic,  e.  g.  TPDTin,  1.  1 1 ; also  TON,  1.  15, 
is  plural,  as  NflN^'l  shows.  Also  the  confusion  of  1 and  , in  our  script 
renders  the  distinction  between  masc.  and  fern,  uncertain.  Do  the  imper- 
atives in  1.  10  terminate  in  1 or  u,  the  latter  a masculine  form  (inclusive 
of  the  feminine),  the  former  possibly  to  be  compared  with  the  Syriac? 
My  English  “you”  covers  the  uncertainty  between  sing,  and  pi. 

''  1TDT  : a prophylactic  “word,”  like  the  magical  quotations 

from  Scriptures;  cf.  a similar  case  at  end  of  No.  42. 

At  end  of  1.  2 are  named  the  five  different  “modes”  of  the  lilith. 
NITONS?  and  NXVStan  are  unique  demoniac  names,  found  only  here  and  in 
No.  17.  The  probable  identity  of  'n  with  the  Arabic  Ghul  suggests  con- 
necting with  the  Arabic  si‘lat;  Lane,  Lexicon,  1365,  and  at  length  his 
Arabian  Nights,  c.  1,  n.  21,  and  also  van  Vloten,  WZKM,  vii,  179,  who 
quotes  an  Arabic  author  to  the  effect  that  the  Si'lat  is  the  witch  of  the 
feminine  Jinns.  (The  Arabic  root  sa'ala,  “cough,”  = Syriac  byw.).  We 
have  then  to  account  for  the  loss  of  the  V.  The  form  would  be  comparable 
to  NrpyiNSy.  Another  possibility  is  = Assyrian  sulu,  “ghost,”  Muss-Arnolt, 
Diet.  1036  (from  nby?),  the  formation  being  originally  selanitu  (cf.  elanu 
from  r6y).  The  witch  or  Ghul  is  preferable  in  the  context,  however  in 
No.  39  the  Lilith  appears  as  the  ghost  of  a dead  relative,  so  that  the  context 
does  not  determine  the  etymology. 

NJVDton,  or  NJT'B'on  No.  17,  “ravager,”  represents  the  Lleb.  DOnn 
(“ostrich”? — such  is  the  tradition  in  Onkelos  and  LXX)  in  Targum  Jer. 
to  Lev.  11  : 16,  Dt.  14:  15  (where  these  two  spellings  also  are  found), 
among  the  unclean  birds.  Horrible  bird-like  forms  were  given  to  the 
demons  by  the  Babylonian  imagination,  Jastrow,  Rcl.  Bab.  u.  Ass.,  i,  281  ; 
also  cf.  Utukki- series,  B,  35  f.  The  ostrich  itself  even  in  the  rationalizing 
Old  Testament  is  half  demoniac;  cf.  the  notes  on  the  pilT,  p.  81.  Prob- 
ably the  'n  is  exactly  the  Arabic  Ghul,  which  is  thus  described  by  Doughty : 
“A  Cyclops’  eye  set  in  the  midst  of  her  human-like  head,  long  beak  of 
jaws,  in  the  ends  one  or  two  great  sharp  tushes,  long  neck;  her  arms  like 


158 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYI.ONIAN  SECTION. 


chickens’  fledgling  wings,  the  fingers  of  her  hands  not  divided ; the  body 
big  as  a camel  but  in  shape  like  as  the  ostrich ; the  sex  is  only  feminine. 
She  has  a foot  as  the  ass’  hoof  and  a foot  as  an  ostrich,”  etc.  ( Arabia 
Dcsertci,  i,  53,  quoted  by  Thompson,  Sem.  Magic,  60). 

3.  pTpbn  : for  the  sharpening  of  the  vowel,  teIittai  from 

telattai,  see  my  notes  on  p.  73. 

jS'Diy:  supplied  from  17:  5,  as  also  other  bracketed  passages.  pnyD 
is  sing.,  as  thd  shows.  Nakedness  and  dishevelled  hair  are  standing 
descriptions  of  the  lilith,  witch,  etc.  See  references  above,  p.  77;  add 
Kohut,  Jiidische  Angelologie,  88,  and  for  Arabic  legend,  Wellhausen. 
Skissen,  3,  p.  32.  The  picture  presents  the  abandoned  character  of  the 
lilith — e.  g.  the  Labartu  is  called  a whore — , and  also  her  shameful,  out- 
lawed position. 

P’Sy  JTDE?  : ^y  = 7 as  constantly  in  these  texts  and  as  in  Mandaic. 
The  naming  of  the  demon’s  forbears  has  a compelling  power,  as  part  of 
name-magic ; see  p.  58.  Cf.  the  naming  of  the  parents  of  the  demon  Baivxuuux 
in  the  invocation  of  his  appearance  in  a charm  of  Wessely’s  (xlii,  60,  from 
Brit.  Mus.  Pap.  cxxiii).  The  same  names  distorted  and  applied  vice  versa 
appear  in  No.  17;  similar  names  also  in  No.  11. 

’plB : often  along  with  synonymous  verbs,  pmrPN,  yiT,  etc.  Cf.  the 
Babylonian  istu  biti  si  (Utukki- series,  iii,  158),  the  long  series  of  impera- 
tives in  Maklu- series,  v,  166  fif.,  etc.;  Mk.  9:  25,  Acts  16:  18;  in  Gollancz’s 
Syriac  charms;  in  the  Greek,  e.  g.  Reitzenstein,  Poimandrcs,  295,  298 
(where  the  demon  is  also  bidden  not  to  disobey). 

4.  'liEH  : probably  hypocoristic  from  Rasnu,  name  of  a Zoroastrian 
genius,  see  Justi,  p.  259.  Cf.  the  names  IHrtrn,  “inr:c-xn,  in  Glossary. 

5.  mso  = xmo  (15:  2),  “Martha.” 

6.  “Rabbi  J.  b.  P.” : see  commentary  No.  32,  and  below,  1.  7- 

“by  the  glory  of  your  father” : hardly  an  appeal  to  the  demon’s  sense 
of  honor,  ip’  must  be  equivalent  to  “name,”  cf.  the  parallelism  and 
the  equivalence  of  the  Name  and  the  Glory  in  the  Old  Testament,  where 
TD3  is  also  used  of  the  human  personality. 

7.  sob  rrru  xuu : the  separation  of  the  lilith  from  her  victim  is 
expressed  in  terms  of  a divorce-writ.  This  was  a happy  thought  of  the 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


159 


magicians,  who  thus  applied  the  powers  of  binding  and  loosing  claimed 
by  the  rabbis  to  the  disgusting  unions  of  demons  and  mortals.  The  logic 
of  the  procedure  was  very  simple — if  only  the  liliths  were  as  submissive 
to  divorce  as  their  human  sisters.  The  decree  is  frequent  in  these  bowl 
incantations,,  and  first  appeared  in  Ellis’s  bowl,  no.  i.  But  I do  not  know 
of  any  case  of  the  occurrence  of  this  magical  Get  outside  of  the  bowls. 

The  magical  writ  affects  the  same  forms  and  formalism  as  that  of 
the  divorce  court.1  In  the  parallel  bowl,  No.  17,  a form  of  date  is  given 
(1.  I NDI’  pin),  which  was  a requisite  in  the  legal  Get.  The  names  of 
both  parties  are  exactly  given,  hence  the  parents  of  the  liliths  are  here 
specifically  named.  The  very  terms  of  divorce  are  repeated  in  17:  2: 
"OTP  rrnni  mtDDI  np'2K'  ; cf.  the  facsimile  of  a Get  given  as  a frontis- 
piece in  Amram’s  work  (’DTP  n'Tini  rpp3C?  mos).  It  was  necessary 
that  the  writ  should  be  properly  served  on  the  divorcee,  hence  in  26 : 6, 
’StD’J  ’inpD’:  “take  thy  writ,”  a sentence  consummating  the  process,  and 
then  the  divorced  demon  must  betake  herself  from  her  victim’s  property, 
as  commanded  by  the  peremptory;  “Hear,  obey  and  go  forth”  (1.  10).  But 
there  is  a difference ; against  spiritual  powers  divine  authority  was  neces- 
sary. And  so  it  is  affected  that  the  writ  has  come  down  from  heaven  (1.  7), 
that  is,  it  belongs  to  the  category  of  writs  from  foreign  countries  for 
which  there  were  special  forms;  hence  the  NO'  *Q'y  pa  NPiN  NtD'J,  1.  9. 
The  commissioners  and  witnesses  are  the  holy  angels,  etc.,  1.  9 f.  A rabbi 
is  also  at  hand  to  seal  as  notary  the  divine  decree,  none  other  than  the 
famous  master-magician  Joshua  b.  Perahia.  For  a further  phase  of  this 
“divorce-writ”  see  to  11:  7.  In  1.  7,  both  the  sing,  and  pi.  are  carefully 
used,  so  as  to  include  both  the  definite  lilith  and  also  the  whole  brood. 

7.  pD’jWEq  pa'Tfrn  : Pael  infinitives  with  first  syllable  in  i. 

KD'^3  : the  root  = “split  asunder.” 

3TID  (?)  may  be  ppl.  from  Din  in  sense  of  Latin  reddcre. 

11.  “the  house  of  Joshua”:  i.  e.  of  the  school  of  sorcery;  in  34:  2 
the  sorcerer  calls  himself  “J.’s  cousin.” 

1 See  D.  W.  Amram,  Jewish  Law  of  Divorce  (Philadelphia,  1896),  esp.  c.  xiii ; 
Jewish  Bncyc.,  s.  vv.  Divorce,  Get. 


160 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


nyaco : “by  the  Seven"?— i.  e.  the  seven  angels,  genii,  etc.?  The  seven 
planets  are  so  called  simply  in  Syriac. 

12.  Oi  Drrax  T2X2  : cf.  Is.  49:  24,  apy  'X;  for  the  Rock  of  Isaac, 
cf.  Is.  30:  29,  Rock  of  Israel.  The  “Shaddai  of  Jacob”  is  unique.  The 
scribe  was  not  mighty  in  the  Scriptures.  But  cf.  Bcclus.  51:  2:  “give 
thanks  to  the  Shield  of  Abraham,  ....  to  the  Rock  of  Isaac,  ....  to  the 
Mighty  One  of  Jacob.” 

13.  piyy  mJ'X:  another  term  for  the  divorce-writ. 

From  1.  13  to  end  the  text  is  largely  mutilated  or  illegible;  this  is  the 
more  unfortunate  as  there  are  traces  of  interesting  apocryphal  or  kabbal- 
istic  passages.  Viz.  “the  hosts  of  fire  in  the  spheres” ; “the  chariots  of 
El-Panim” ; “the  beasts  worshipping  in  the  fire  of  his  throne  and  in  the 
water,”  with  which  cf.  the  glassy  sea  of  Revelation.  The  following  term 

(“banners,”  then  “cohorts”)  is  a common  word  in  the  Targumic 
literature  for  the  angelic  hosts,  according  to  Shemoth  Rabba  15,  = niX3¥. 
(But  the  phrase  may  mean,  “who  is  revealed  as.”)  The  language  is  Hebrew 
and  the  allusions  are  taken  doubtless  from  apocalyptic  literature. 

14.  Sxnry  is  known  as  an  angel  of  the  divine  chariot,  Schwab, 
Vocabulaire,  s.  v.,  and  ?xnpy  is  found  ibid.;  n.  b.  play  with  nnpy. 

15.  The  reference  to  the  xnpjy  indicates  that  witchcraft  is  behind 
these  devilish  manifestations;  the  lilith  and  the  witch  are  practically 
identical,  see  p.  78. 

17.  “may  they  be  established  for  life”;  cf.  the  finale  of  the  Mandaic 
texts,  “Life  is  victorious.”  The  same  expression  in  12:  3,  and  the  negative 
wish  against  devils  in  Wohlstein  2426:  9;  but  in  his  no.  2417:  22  the  verb 
is  used  of  the  resurrection.  At  least  the  vague  idea  of  immortality  may 
be  contained  in  the  phrases. 


No.  9 (CBS  9010) 


*n  (3)  y&jnrp  . . . ruon  xin  xini  xnuy  (2)  xnmyi  xj[w]i  xj’an  xms 
tyoran  (4)  pmn  pn!>  prnrpm  xrp!^  ^ 'D’j  pn5>  xjnro  x’ma 
WDflH  (5)  xro'Boi  h^Sh  «o!”m  rpnnj'x  prty.  ra  hditidti  [xnjoi’p  -d 
dispi  (6)  nrnix  Tins  nvnixi  nix  nno  nix  msya  ppuani  [p*iit3]'an  xdti 
npyrvx  xms  nynxi  xw  lyiornx  prim  [Dupjn]  “imo  npn  nis’tyn  pins 
pD3  xoi>y  to  mx  pm  xrrb^  ■ot^i  'hi  ’tnn  D’&y  nx  (7)  '.dojtx  pnn  xnom 
t[o  p]on'  xpa.xh  pnm  x^on^  xi’ono  (8)  po^y  ’mrrxi  xoim^  pnAy  mp^D 
Knmxin  prmDP’C  no  nnx  . .no  bi  toi  pn’nsipD’X  toi  tm'mo  toi  fin ’no 
xob’no  xb  [pni>  prnrpn]  xP  oim  mnnj’x  pvt?  no  nDiriom  (9)  xnovp  no 
. . . [pjpio’ty  maxi  . . . (10)  pon’  xjpde  . . . [xooh  xnjj’tm  x^i 

rm  mo 

Exterior 

xin  bv  noinn  Pxdpi  5>xd’di  ^xnoj  mxov  D’n^x  mn'  'rptyy  toty^  ’jx  (11) 

pox  jox  nnsipD’x  xin  ^>yi  xnonn 


Translation 

The  bowl  I deposit  and  sink  down,  and  the  work  (2)  I operate,  and 
it  is  in  [the  fashion  of]  Rabbi  Joshua  (3)  bar  Perahia.  I write  for  them 
divorces,  for  all  the  Liliths  who  appear  to  them,  in  this  (house  of  ?)  (4) 
Babanos  bar  Kayomta  and  of  Saradust  bath  Sirin  his  wife,  in  dream  by 
night  and  in  slumber  (5)  by  day;  namely  a writ  of  separation  and  divorce; 
in  virtue  of  letter  (abstracted)  from  letter,  and  letters  from  letters,  (6) 
and  of  word  from  words,  and  of  pronunciation  from  pronunciations ; 
whereby  are  swallowed  up  heaven  and  earth,  the  mountains  are  uprooted, 
and  by  them  the  heights  melt  away. 

(7)  Oh,  Demons,  Arts  and  Devils  and  Latbe,  perish  by  them  from 
the  world!  Therefore  (?)  I have  mounted  up  over  them  (you?)  to 
the  celestial  height,  and  I have  brought  against  you  (8)  a destroyer  to 


(161) 


162 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


destroy  them  (you)  and  to  bring  you  forth  from  their  house  and  their 
dwelling  and  their  threshold  and  all  ....  place  of  the  bedchamber  of 
Babanos  b.  K.  (9)  and  of  Saradust  b.  5.  his  wife.  And  again,  do  not 
appear  to  them,  neither  in  dream  of  night  nor  in  sleep  of  day  ....  I dismiss 
you  (10)  ....  letters  of  separation  

( 1 1,  exterior)  In  thy  name  have  I wrought,  Yhwh,  God,  Sebaoth, 
Gabriel  and  Michael  and  Raphael.  Thy  seal  is  upon  this  besealment  and 
upon  this  threshold.  Amen,  Amen. 

Commentary 

A charm  for  a man  and  his  wife.  The  inscription  is  illiterate,  and  is 
largely  parallel  to  (doubtless  dependent  upon)  the  Syriac  text  No.  32  = 
No.  33;  also  cf.  No.  8. 

1.  Si’pBn  SJ'CH  SHD  : the  same  phrase  appears  in  32:  3 and  33:  1, 
whence  the  third  word  in  the  present  text  can  be  restored.  It  is  very 
obscure  and  I propose  the  following  explanation.  '2  is  a synonym  for  SD12 
“bowl,”  and  is  the  Syriac  and  Mandaic  snni2  ( puhra ) which  came  to  mean 
“symposium,”  but  goes  back  to  the  root  ~i na,  giving  the  words  for  the  potter 
and  his  art,  i.  e.  originally  it  was  a potter’s  vessel.  For  the  loss  of  the 
guttural  in  our  present  word,  cf.  Mandaic  snity  for  snnic’,  etc.  iO'ETi 
I take  in  the  common  Syriac  sense  of  laying  a foundation ; the  bowl  was 
placed,  as  we  have  seen,  at  one  of  the  four  corners  of  the  house.  For  SJ'pC’, 
we  must  assume  a parallel  significance,  and  it  is  to  be  derived  from  ypCJfi 
treated  as  S'6,  in  the  similar  sense  “to  sink”  (the  1st  Form  is  used  as  an 
active  in  Rabbinic).  As  the  phrase  appears  in  our  Syriac  bowls,  which  are 
largely  colored  by  Mandaic  idioms,  the  reference  to  this  dialect  is 
justifiable. 

S“Qiy:  see  p.  51;  in  the  parallels  TOJH  snuy. 

2.  In  the  lacuna  snuann’O  might  be  read.  Sin  sin  is  a Syriac  idiom, 
taken  from  the  Syriac  parallel. 

3.  pnn : awkward;  probably  for  H rrn'2  piny;  cf.  32:  5. 

4.  nm  probably  C’linsn  in  1.  8.  The  first  element  is  baba  or  papa 
(Persian  p often  = Semitic  b),  Justi,  pp.  54,  241,  the  second  the  Persian 
genius-name  Anos. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


163 


[xn]Ol'p:  n was  legible  to  the  original  copyist  of  these  bowls  in  1.  8. 
The  name  signifies  patrona.  The  masc.  XOI'p  appears  in  Pognon  B. 

nomo  : apparently  a form  of  Zarathustra ; see  Justi,  p.  379  f.,  where 
the  frequent  spelling  Zaradust  is  cited  in  names.  But  strange  is  the 
application  of  this  masculine  name  to  a woman. 

pTE>:  cf.  the  name  Sirin,  Tabari’s  Chronicles,  ed.  de  Goeje,  i,  4,  p.  100, 

1-  3- 

ppiBKH  pUD'BB  XO'Jl:  the  repeated  T defies  construction;  cf.  1.  6. 
The  terms  all  appear  in  No.  8. 

5.  'J1  nix  "|ino  nix  DlO’B:  a parallel  phrase  appears  in  32:  6;  here 
the  words  are  Hebrew.  The  general  sense  of  these  obscure  phrases  is 
clear;  they  refer  to  the  magical  use  of  letters  and  words  and  the  manipu- 
lation of  their  pronunciations,  such  for  instance  as  we  find  in  the 
treatment  of  nirp  and  in  the  Greek  magic  of  the  seven  vowels.  Cf.  Pradel, 
p.  35,  1.  9,  “in  the  name  of  these  angels  and  letters.’’ 

6.  01  DpJl  : this  root  appears  in  the  Bible  where  it  passes  from  the 
physical  “prick,  prick  out,”  to  the  sense  “distinguish,”  that  is,  in  speech, 
“pronounce  clearly.”  It  is  the  question  in  Sank.  56a  whether  nirp  D E?  3p3 
is  so  used  or  in  the  sense  “blaspheme.”  In  the  present  case  it  means 
“pronounce,”  and  is  synonymous  to  the  Piel  E^'lB  as  that  appears  in  DE£> 
EniSDn.1  Mystic  or  traditional  renderings  of  the  Tetragrammaton  are 
doubtless  referred  to,  but  all  this  is  only  mysteriously  suggested  here;  the 
magician  does  not  offer  us  samples  of  his  rare  art.  There  is  a garbled 
form  of  these  phrases  in  32 : 6. 

lybnrr  pnan : cf.  7:  12. 

X'llO : a Mandaic  spelling  for  the  plural  in  e. 

7.  'Bob  a category  appearing  only  in  the  bowls,  see  above  p.  81,  and 
Glossary. 

J'BB:  probably  the  Targumic  “therefore.” 

This  and  the  following  line  are  difficult  by  reason  of  an  inconsequent 
use  of  the  pronouns;  the  scribe  was  writing  by  rote.  Light  is  thrown 

1 For  this  discussion  see  Dalman,  Der  Gottesname  Adonay,  44  ff. 


164 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYRONIAN  SECTION. 


on  the  passage  from  32 : 8 f.  ( q . v.),  where  is  given  the  tradition  of  Joshua 
b.  Perahia’s  ascent  to  heaven,  by  which  he  obtained  mastery  over  all  evil 
powers.  Our  scribe  boldly  turns  the  3d  person  of  the  legend  into  the 
first  person — of  himself, — an  instance  of  the  attempted  identification  of 
the  magician  with  deity  or  master-magician. 

XWiD’b:  so  the  parallel  demands. 

TVrrK:  appears  to  be  Afel ; Ti-  is  hebraizing. 

8.  rrnc’Dn,  Ex.  12:  23;  in  the  parallel  the  abstract 

1 1 . For  the  asyndeton  connection  of  the  angelic  names  with  that  of 
Deity,  see  above,  pp.  58  f,  99,  and  note  the  Greek  parallels.  Sebaoth 
appears  to  replace  one  of  the  four  archangels;  cf.  the  personification  of 
S.  in  Myhrman’s  text. 


No.  10  (CBS  16014) 

nival  mn  nri  npit?  na  ni^ya  oeai  ’Jaa  na  inav:  xnm  nniD«5>  ny'Dp  to- 

nnaipD’xi  pin  nrvo  onriDi  crm  (2) n»  in'  rv  oitra  n^ia  nnsipD'Ni 

[5>]n'!>'ni  ^xnav  Iwatyi  pnr^n  rPDty'3  avn  m Niirt  ninvx 

ma  r\wh  hndip  din  nonm  xcnn  wn  na  ihjvji  mu  [pj^n  ponnroi  (3) 
p!>n  pennoi  pD'nn  am  pjdd  idi  p^aaa  idi  pn  idi  (4)  [pm]  6?  id  vdjivni 
nrnrrnJ’  ru  nonm  NDnn  sin  na  ma  nnn  ’jaa  (5)  na  nnnvN  “p-ovoi  vpnty  na 
iinprrvli  idi  pnrna  jdi  pnvo  ppmrpi  ppav  p^Dav  pnnt’i  (6)  to  sum  mo  id 

Ion  idn  n^iyh  pn  ndv  id  prvmsyD  rvn  idi  (7) 

Translation 

This  amulet  is  for  the  salvation  of  this  Newanduch  bath  Kaphni,  and 
Kaphni  her  husband  bar  Sarkoi,  and  Zadoi  her  son,  and  her  house  and 
her  whole  threshold,  in  the  name  of  Yah,  Yahu,  Ah,  ....  (2)  Sealed,  and 
countersealed  are  this  house  and  this  threshold  ....  in  the  name  of 

LLZRyon  and  Sabiel  and  Gabriel  and  Eliel  (3)  And  sealed  are 

these,  Zadoi  and  Newanduch,  with  that  seal  with  which  the  First  Adam 
sealed  Seth  his  son  and  he  was  preserved  from  Demons  (4)  and  Devils 
and  Tormentors  and  Satans.  Again  sealed  and  countersealed  are  these, 
the  son  of  Sarkoi  and  Newanduch  his  wife  b.  (5)  K.  and  Zadoi  her  son, 
with  that  seal  with  which  Noah  sealed  the  ark  from  the  waters  of  the 
Deluge.  (6)  And  may  they  fly  and  cease  and  go  forth  and  remove  from 
them  and  from  their  house  and  their  abode  and  their  bed-chamber,  from 
this  day  and  forever. 


Commentary 

A charm  for  a woman  and  her  family.  It  is  decorated  with  a figure 
having  a beaked,  bird-like  face. 

ny’Dp:  see  Introduction,  p.  44. 

TH^TD:  for  the  name  see  to  5 : 1 ; the  same  person  appears  in  No.  11. 

(165) 


166 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


■OSD  : probably  for  Kafncii,  “the  hungry  one.”  The  woman’s  husband 
and  father  had  the  same  name.  This  is  a case  of  the  father’s  name  being 
given,  against  the  rule;  for  other  examples,  see  12:  1,  Pognon  B,  p.  98, 
and  the  name  N2N2.  in  Lidzbarski  5. 

Uplty  cf.  the  Persian  name  Serkoh  Justi,  p.  296. 

(^HT : the  full  spelling  appears  in  1.  5 ; for  the  name,  ibid.,  p.  382.  A 
Zaroi  appears  in  37 : 3. 

2.  'Ui  "nnrs:  I can  make  nothing  out  of  these  words. 

For  Sabiel  and  Eliel,  see  Schwab,  Vocabulaire,  251,  57.  The  first 
name  is  probably  mystical. 

3.  Nin  ru  : emphatic  use  of  Nin;  cf.  Dan.  7:  15. 

For  these  apocryphal  references  to  the  seal  of  Adam  and  Noah,  cf. 
p.  64,  and  for  the  Jewish  legends  see  Jezv.  Bnc.,  s.  v.,  “Seth,”  “Noah.”  It 
is  in  the  Babylonian  story  not  the  Biblical  that  the  hero  shuts  himself  in. 

5.  50210:  found  in  Targ.  Onk.  to  Gen.  6:  17,  = Tv<t><bv)  frequent  in 
the  Greek  magical  vocabulary. 


No.  11  (CBS  16022) 

A charm  for  a woman  and  her  household,  in  terms  of  a divorce  from 
the  evil  spirits. 

The  text  would  be  legible  only  for  a half,  but  for  the  interesting 
fact  that  it  is  one  of  four  almost  duplicate  inscriptions.  The  longest 
and  clearest  of  these  is  the  Mandaic  bowl,  no.  5,  published  by  Lidzbarski. 
Another  is,  remarkably  enough,  the  first  inscription  of  this  category  ever 
published,  Ellis  no.  1,  in  Layard,  Nineveh  and  Babylon,  512  ff . ; see  § 2.1 
The  latter  is  given  in  poor  facsimile,  and  none  has  taken  the  trouble  to 
collate  afresh  the  bowl  in  the  British  Museum,  a simple  task  which  doubtless 
would  have  allayed  the  difficulties. 

Of  this  text  the  bowl  from  Nippur  is  practically  a duplicate,  and,  with 
the  help  of  Lidzbarski’s  inscription,  I am  able  to  restore  almost  the  entire 
text  not  only  of  our  bowl  but  also  of  that  in  the  British  Museum. 

There  is  also  a fourth  duplicate,  No.  18.  It  can  be  read  only  by  com- 
parison with  the  three  presented  here,  and  so  I have  left  it  in  its  original 
place  in  my  arrangement  of  these  inscriptions,  especially  as  it  contributes 
nothing  further  to  the  understanding  of  their  contents. 

I have  thought  it  worth  while  to  present  the  three  texts  in  parallel 
columns.  This  process  facilitates  the  verification  of  emendations,  while 
the  variations  which  present  themselves  throw  interesting  light  upon  the 
natural  history  of  magical  inscriptions.  We  mark  how  magical  terms 
which  once  had  a meaning  become  blurred  and  obscured  at  the  hands  of 
generations  of  sorcerers  and  copyists,  until  sense  becomes  nonsense,  or 
simple  word  or  phrase  receives  a kabbalistic  interpretation.  The  Mandaic 
appears  to  have  the  latest  type  of  text,  having  evidently  transferred  its 
material  from  another  script  and  dialect.  Cf.  the  parallel  texts  in  No.  7. 

In  the  following  texts  I have  slightly  abbreviated  the  names  in  the 
2d  and  3d  columns,  and  omitted  a few  unimportant  phrases  in  the  3d 
(always  so  noted).  It  is  not  necessary  to  give  a translation  of  Ellis’s 


1 As  suggested  in  that  section,  n.  4,  this  was  the  bowl  obtained  by  Layard  from 
Nippur. 

(167) 


168 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


bowl,  as  the  text  is  now  almost  entirely  intelligible.  The  enumeration  of 
lines  in  Ellis’s  text  is  according  to  the  spiral  lines. 


No.  1 1 

npp6  iTDC?  ;d  nhtdn 
’Drum  ’jse  ns  “irovo 
po  rroty  'cm3  (2) 
Ion  ion  Nn^SEoi  NnW 

(3)  ^onrvTn  nun  sin 
■ppno  jo  nro  pmn'm 
Nn^SSOI  Nn'!”^  'JBS  ns 

(4)  Nnppyi  Nmy^i 

T'nxn  jno  oitps  NnSsni 

pn^> 

PtyN  ittin  Disjai  xn'S^i 

HTIN 

njpjs  (5)  pid^'n 

pn[’D^]tyi  tirpa^o 

prrabo 

nsp  n]o^O  nm  'p'Jcrp 

n'ystrN  Nn’^[p 

nepW  ds^ip  ’s^y 

Nn’W  'Jin  nm:  ns  (6) 

nmnsi  nn'ss  [Nsn']p 

’jss  [nn J ~n:rj-i 


Nsp[n] 

nhppp[pi]  'pm 
[o^y  Niyjstno 


Ellis  i 


np’k^ 

nd’ti  pin 

TP’^i  NJtEoh  n[ih]5»i 

YlOEN^l 

. . . ^ (2) 

xn’^i 

. . . i>1  NP1D 

-ppnns 

(3)  10  p^OE'P 

PE  PPiPE 

[01  ■pPJ'PJ  HE 

nn'E  10 

1 P’OPPJED'N 

n^is 

njpj: 

1 PTD’N  bit  (4) 

prpsta 

ND’^ 

TPP1  pP’E’P 

NEP 

NjyEyo  Nn^^p 

nh'^^  (5)  o^Dsn  "s^y 

NjP’W 

’jpn  nnpE  he 

PIEP1E  EN  PEP  DN 

’S^y  Njystro 


Lidzbarski  5 


njnptiisn  “vDy  i>y 
ps^ 

NET  NO’^1  S'l'm 

ri'Eti'N  Nrv^'^  pr^isp 
DNI^n  “p^NJ'DlDl  1'^N 
Nn1^  n^ENDl  Nj-p^ 
Nn'^b  'Nil nt  p nnN-13  ns 

Nnsisoysi  nn'NE  nehnh 

ps  yornin  p nn’NET 
ns  NPNnNPl  Nnspno 
ypNP 

NSpNE’T  N^OTll  N'PNOl 
NPJNP1 

NjPNPPPNPI  N’pPPNP 
T^NmOTDT  1'^N  n'EE’N 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


169 


dsiid3  pnomm  (7) 
’333'b 

d . . b^pi  n;n'j~nDm 
p’by  . . . to’bE'  Kim 

’3’b  333133  K3 
'3'rr]  mtjs  Kni 
['31  113333  p 

pnnm  (8)  [h'b>  X23] 
’t3'3 
pn’twb 
pn’by  i[m]n  Kbi 

’3’D’3  'blPE? 


'323  313  (sic.)  1133’3  p 
Kb  n [b  p]mrrn  Kbi 
KQD’3  Kbi  rpWn 

Kbi  n[D’y]  p33tyn  Kbi 
313331  333  3P  pbtapvi  (9) 

h noty  E713’dd  die’3 
0,  D,  TT  r ^rJ3n 


p3’3b’b  Dpeit33  pnonm 

Dp’m  3333315331 
p3’by  D’bcy  Kin  K333  (6) 

K3cb’bl  ’V3 

K33I33  3333)3  K3 
p333  33bt33  k,3 
11133,333  3333  pi  3333 
'3  133 
333  pi  (7) 
pt3’3  p3’E»  p3D33  KD3 

3im  pn’EO’b  pani 
pp’by  piin  k^> 
p3’E’3  bipty 
p3  . . . lb'3pl 

ipn’yi  (8)  ipisi 

'3  133  ',333  KnSlPD'K  [p] 


3333  D1C33 
DOE  33331 


'3i  'b  nKb3Kni  'b  DKibKn 
1'3'b  D1D3KD3  'KnDrrnn 

D’lK’3t3Kp3  3333135331 
by  EKbKE’Dl  K3Kba 
KH’tyi  KMH1  K’33D 
KnK’b’bi  Knoini  K’nm 
b DKibn  T'b,3Kn3  ptKn 
1’3l3Kt32K  pTKiHl 
P’D3in3  ,33321  333  K3  p 
'3  J3D  'K  HIT  pi  P 33 
nnK331  333  pi 
Kt3’3  KH'ty  K’313K33  33 

□,1131  K3IB333  P’KEOyb 
(?)  K’33353Kbl  K’33K3Kb 
1’t3’3  bipty  K3 
'3i  DKibn  1’nKoio  b'3Kpi 
pKnKinyi  piiyi  piai  K3pi 

'31  3533in3  '31  ,333X3  p 
IEKDb’33Kb  pb’KTn’n  Kbi 
KOKOH  p3Kirn3Kbl  K’b’bl 
'31  333  K3  QTl’ni  3'Dy3 
1^3  3’X  3 3Dpny3 
KCynKDK  1’01E>3  KPKbK 
3iy  3iy  3IK13K33K3X  PK3 
L3K’  53K1  3K’  3K’  X’  X’  3iy 

K’nKa’n’ni  KTixn’Dy 
KnK’b’b 

K13K3P131  K’33’T 

K3bo  iio’btJH  Knpny3 
3’1K3  33 
KnbK  1’b3  3’V  3 
1’bj  Kl'P'l  K33  3531  ty 


n n pry  3 


K333  Dp’nn  . . . 
|153’b[EH]  3'npT,y31 


n by  epbrn  3’m 

£331253  Dt3 


’nibyn  (9) 

333  £33120  D£3 


170 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


noisy 
rmtyycno 
win  x'ou  msy 
n^o  [ox  ion  jdn  Etc.  ynv  'x  ra^ix 

Translation 

Salvation  from  Heaven  for  this  Newanduch  bath  Ivaphni,  that  she  be 
saved  (2)  by  the  love  of  Heaven  from  the  Lilith  and  the  Tormentor.  Amen. 
Amen.  Again,  fly  and  refrain  (3)  and  remove  from  Newanduch  b.  K., 
the  Lilith  and  the  Tormentor  and  Fever  and  Barrenness  (4)  and  Abortion; 
in  the  name  of  him  who  controls  the  Demons  and  Devils  and  Liliths, 
and  in  the  name  of  “I-am-that-I-am.” 

For  the  binding  of  (5)  Bagdana,  their  king  and  ruler,  the  king  of 
Demons  and  [Devils],  the  [great]  ruler  of  Liliths.  I adjure  thee,  Lilith 
Halbas,  granddaughter  of  Lilith  Zarni,  [dwelling]  in  the  house  and  dwelling 
of  Newanduch  b.  K.  and  [plaguing]  boys  and  girls,  (7)  that  thou  be 
smitten  in  the  courses  (?)  of  thy  heart  and  with  the  lance  of  ....,  who 
is  powerful  ....  over  you. 

Behold  I have  written  for  thee  (i.  e.  a divorce),  and  behold  I have 
separated  thee  [from  N.  b.  K.  etc.],  [like  the  Demons]  (8)  who  write 
divorces  for  their  wives,  and  do  not  return  to  them.  Take  thy  divorce  from 
Newanduch  b.  K.  and  do  not  appear  to  her,  neither  by  night  nor  by  day, 
and  do  not  lie  [with  her].  And  do  not  (9)  kill  her  sons  and  daughters. 
In  the  name  of  Memintas  (?)  keeper  of  Habgezig  (?).  Yo,  Yad,  Yat, 
Yat,  Yat.  By  the  seal  on  which  is  carved  and  engraved  the  Ineffable  Name, 
since  the  days  of  the  world,  the  six  days  of  creation. 

Commentary 

1 . Newanduch  b.  Kaphni : the  same  as  in  No.  10 ; here  without 
mention  of  a husband.  It  is  also  the  name  of  the  mother  of  the  client  in 
Ellis’s  bowl. 

2.  mosy  'Dm  : cf.  “the  great  Lord  of  love.”  “Heaven”  is  used  here 
and  in  parallel  passages  as  surrogate  for  Deity,  after  ancient  Jewish  use; 
the  same  use  in  18:  1 and  Wohlstein  2422:  3. 


X>Yy  i(2P  jo 
n'trNiD  'O’  no’kT  '01 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


171 


3.  xmyc?  : a new  word.  I would  connect  it  with  the  Arabic  root  s‘r 
(Heb.  “iyD,  nyEE),  with  the  meaning  “be  hot,  rage,”  etc.  See  the  various 
derivative  nouns  in  Lane,  Arabi c-Bnglish  Lexicon,  1363:  sa‘r,  “burning, 
shooting,”  su‘r,  “demoniacal  possession,  madness,  mange”;  sa‘rat  (our  very 
form!)  “cough,”  etc.  Possibly  fever,  or  poison.  The  Arabic  su‘r  connotes 
infection. 

4.  xnbsn : “bereavement,”  then  used  of  abortion,  the  reference  being  to 
a mischievous  killing  by  magic  of  the  unborn  child. 

It  is  unfortunate  that  in  the  first  line  of  Ellis’s  inscription,  the  name 
following  TTJ , i.  e.  “Nirig”  is  indecipherable  from  the  facsimile.  For 
TH’J  = ET3,  cf.  b3J,  on  the  Nerab  inscriptions,  = Nin-gal.  In  XTita  ")1D3X, 
the  second  word  is  a careless  repetition  of  the  first. 

5 . At  the  end  of  this  line  begins  the  parallelism  with  the  two  other 
inscriptions.  Our  very  first  word,  which  appears  as  one  in  a series  of 
divine  names,  e.  g.  El-sur,  is  explained  from  the  parallel  which  shows  that 
HD'X  bx  was  meant ; the  unusual  form  bx  (=  by)  was  taken  to  be  = “god,” 
and  the  passage  became  hopeless.  The  same  process  of  corruption  will  be 
found  below  on  the  Mandaic  side. 

xma:  so  in  Ellis,  but  in  the  Mandaic  bowl  XJXIJUX  (=  X3X3J13X  in 
Pognon  B).  See  Lidzbarski’s  attempts  at  explanation.  But  our  X3333 
is  the  elder  form;  see  on  19:  6,  13,  where  '3  is  both  generic  and  personal. 

firP3,|b»:  the  first  ' is  an  error  as  the  subsequent  spelling  shows;  the 
second  represents  the  half-vowel.  The  scribe  in  our  text  has  been  con- 
fused and  repeated  his  words  here.  For  the  “king  of  demons,”  see  p.  74. 

DaSn  = Dbonn  = DXlbn,  in  the  three  texts;  cf.  the  names  in  the  parallel 
texts  Nos.  8 and  17:  Dribs  and  Tilths,  Tilths  and  jnbs  Proof  of  the  impos- 
sibility of  etymologizing  on  these  forms ! The  accompanying  lilith  in  the 
Mandaic,  nbsxn,  must  be  connected  with  our  XJtbsn  above;  abortion  is 
personified.  The  granddam  of  the  lilith  appears  to  be  better  known  as  it 
is  identical  in  all  three  inscriptions.  The  two  liliths  in  the  Mandaic  are 
interpreted  by  Ellis’s  text;  they  are  the  male  and  female  respectively;  cf. 
below,  1.  8,  no'y  p33^n  xb. 

7.  DDtltO  = DisiLD  = Dnsxti:  these  various  forms  throw  no  light  on 
the  word.  It  looks  as  if  it  were  a corrupted  Greek  anatomical  term. 


172 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


k 

(Ellis)  : our  text  explains  the  reading  of  the  elder 
bowl  3??  33k,  the  former  a metaplasis  of  the  latter;  the  same  form  in 

18:  7. 

? = Dp’n  = D'lxnDxp  : the  latter  has,  as  Lidzbarski  recognizes,  a 
peculiar  Mandaic  form.  I am  inclined  again  to  hold  that  the  parallel 
shorter  forms  are  more  original.  The  reading  in  our  bowl  is  different 
from  the  other  two.  For  X13J  Dp’n  cf.  9 XT3X,  3:  2. 

rram  xn:  explained  by  the  second  column,  where  plus  X3H33  i.  e.  the 
divorce-writ.  Curiously  enough  the  Mandaic  has  taken  the  interjection 
as  a pronoun2 3 *  and  rendered  it  by  prxn. 

JYHDB : cf.  Ass.  pataru,  “break  a charm.” 

’D’J  panai  ’Tt?  XOD : cf.  8 : 7.  The  additional  thought  appears  here 
that  inasmuch  as  demons  divorce  their  spouses,  divorce-writs  must  be  as 
effective  on  them  as  among  human  kind.  Cf.  also  No.  18.  It  may  be 
noticed  here  that  the  first  and  third  texts  address  a special  lilith  in  the 
singular,  the  second  goes  over  into  the  plural ; the  same  uncertainty  in 
No.  8. 

9.  : (=  plural)  Mandaism ; so  also  below  'niSy  = nky. 

BTiroo  DlC?3  = Maud,  x»ynx»x,  the  second  text  obscure.  Again  no 
light ! There  is  considerable  similarity  in  the  following  magical  syllables. 

Ul  rvnprya:  with  the  help  of  the  parallels  we  can  make  out  the 
reading.  It  and  Ellis’s  inscription  are  almost  identical.  The  Mandaic  gives 
here  a striking  instance  of  perversion.  The  prepositional  phrase  nky  (or  its 
equivalent)  was  understood  as  “God"  and  turned  into  xrffx;  this  took  with 
it  the  ppls.  TY  and  pvJ , which  were  raised  to  divine  dignity  to  accom- 
modate the  epithet  xnpx.  The  invention  appears  to  have  been  prized,  as 
the  deity  Sir-Geliph  is  also  introduced  above  in  the  same  inscription.  The 
CIH1BD  DC?  is  thus  reduced  to  a travesty!  The  well-known  Jewish  phrase 
appears  also  in  Schwab,  E.5 

2 Cf.  Noldeke,  Maud.  Gram.  § 81. 

3 For  the  true  explanation  of  this  term,  see  Arnold,  Journ.  of  Biblical  Lit.,  1905, 

107  ff. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


173 


Solomon’s  magic  ring  (first  mentioned  by  Josephus)  inscribed  with 
the  Tetragrammaton  is  the  subject  of  Haggada  in  Gift.  68a,  b.  Later 
legend,  especially  Arabic,  developed  the  wonders  of  this  magic  ring.4  Ac- 
cording to  the  end  of  our  inscriptions  this  seal  engraved  with  the  divine 
Name  was  in  existence  since  the  week  of  creation  (=  JTCJ’tro).  This  is 
an  addition  to  the  ten  things  which  according  to  Pirke  Aboth,  5:  8,  were 
created  on  the  eve  of  the  first  Sabbath — among  which  were  the  alphabetic 
script  and  the  tables  of  the  Law. 

4 See  Jewish  Bncycl.,  xi,  438  f f .,  448;  for  the  Greek  magic,  Dieterich,  Abraxas, 
139,  1.  28,  and  at  length,  p.  141  f . ; for  bibliography,  Schiirer,  GJV,  iii,  303. 


No.  12  (CBS  9009) 

pnunbi  .Tnn'x  hint  np  (2)  ’ippcbi  phupn  id  nppnb  N’ocy  p njtidn 
p (4)  pptun’i  iiD’prm  Jim  p;p  pnb  pim  prumpbi  (3)  iirrn’pbi  pnnjpbi 
prnn’cp  xnbppo  pi  xn’b’b  pi  snoib  pi  uod  pi  ’dpic?  pi  mh  pi  n’t? 
rouble  (6)  spbr  tt  mb  pp  nmp  bo:  np  toot?  p n'nn  npxb»  pby  Nj'sip  pnb  (5) 
mnnpc’im  w (7)  N’nty’p  npnty’Di  ism  udo  one  ’cee  byi  onei  xniyn  mpyn 
ttb  (8)  pnnj’ji  no  by  ev  p ppneoi  [pjo’pn  nmv  p^bon”.  iod  nynxp 
o ppip  Npn  o patyj  pmnsa  pom  ppm  mbip  xobyb  mb  pmnpnp  ptnn’D 
Nnsipmi  xnnpi  xnoibi  msi  ’bp’pi  on  bp  pnotmi  pbem  lira  (9)  xpnp 
□ymo  bpi  xnbppoi  npnai  xmb’bi  opipp  nm  (10)  nmi  xnbboi  xnobp’Ni 
puir  pi  mnmx  man  np  (11)  upur  pi  iojodn  pp  pppp  p ppmi  pmn  &»p 
liiTno  [oi  mppp’  np  ’bm  pi  ’us  pi  amp«  pi  “pine  pi  ooip  pi  poD’  pi 
dinpv  mn’  aitrp  obiybi  pp  nov  p np  pen  nbip  pmnmn  pi  pruu’p  (12)  pi 

prsJ  rivs  piop”  yp  boo  npnoc”  mm  nbo  pN  ps 

Exterior 

NP’bsD’NP  NUIPP’NP  (13) 

Translation 

Salvation  from  Heaven  for  Dadbeh  bar  \smanduch  and  for  Sarkoi 

(2)  bath  Dada  his  wife,  and  for  their  sons  and  daughters  and  their  house 

(3)  and  their  property,  that  they  may  have  offspring  and  may  live  and  be 
established  and  be  preserved  (4)  from  Demons  and  Devils  and  Plagues 
and  Satans  and  Curses  and  Liliths  and  Tormentors,  which  may  appear 
(5)  to  them.  I adjure  thee,  the  angel  which  descends  from  heaven — there 
being  kneaded  (something)  in  the  shape  of  a horn,  on  which  honey  is 
poured — (6)  the  angel  who  does  the  will  of  his  Lord  and  who  walks  upon 
the  (throne-)  steps  of  his  Lord  sc’u,  and  who  is  praised  in  the  heavens  (7) 
se’ii,  and  his  praise  is  in  earth  semu;- — they  are  filled  with  glory,  who  endure 
and  keep  pure  since  the  days  of  eternity,  and  their  feet  (8)  are  not 
seen  in  their  dances  by  the  whole  world,  and  they  sit  and  stand  in  their 


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175 


place,  blowing  like  the  blast,  lightening  like  the  lightning.  (9)  These 
will  frustrate  and  ban  all  Familiars  and  Countercharms  and  Necklace-spirits 
and  Curses  and  Invocations  and  Knockings  and  Rites  and  Words  and 
Demons  (10)  and  Devils  and  Plagues  and  Liliths  and  Idol-spirits  and 
Tormentors  and  everything  whatsoever  evil,  that  they  shall  flee  and  depart 
from  Dadbeh  b.  A.  and  from  Sarkoi  (11)  b.  Dada  his  wife  and  from 
Honik  and  Yasmin  and  Kufithai  and  Mehduch  and  Abraham  and  Pannoi 
and  Sili  the  children  of  Sarkoi  and  from  their  house  and  from  (12)  their 
property  and  from  their  dwelling,  wherein  they  dwell,  from  this  day  and 
forever,  in  the  name  of  Yhwh  Sebaoth.  Amen,  Amen,  Selah.  “Yhwh 
keep  thee  from  all  evil,  keep  thy  soul.” 

Exterior 

(13).  Of  the  inner  room,  of  the  hall. 

Commentary 

A charm  for  a man  and  his  wife  and  their  seven  named  children,  in 
the  form  of  an  adjuration  of  a certain  potent  angel.  There  is  rubrical 
reference  to  a magical  operation  for  compelling  this  angelic  assistance.  The 
same  family  appears  also  in  No.  16  and  the  Syriac  Nos.  31,  33.  Prof. 
Gottheil  has  presented  a tentative  translation  in  Peters,  Nippur , ii,  182. 

1.  ruTl:  probably  abbreviated  from  Dcidbuyeh;  see  Justi,  p.  75. 

THJtDDN : see  ibid.,  p.  281,  the  Armenian  name  Samanducht. 

'lpltr:  see  10:  1. 

2.  msa  • Justi,  p.  75,  Dadd.  The  name  is  Semitic,  e.  g.  Palmyrene 
and  Syriac  NIKI,  from  root  1H.  The  name  looks  like  a masculine  (for  the 
use  of  the  father’s  name  see  to  10:  1),  but  may  equal  N'TSO , 39:  2. 

4.  ’Bait?:  for  the  form  cf.  Noldeke,  Maud.  Gram.,  § 19,  and  for  the 
species,  p.  80  f.,  above. 

5.  01  “ID  (read  D1EH  for  nD"0  : a rubic  directing  an  operation 
compelling  the  presence  of  the  angel  through  a simulacrum  and  its  manipu- 
lation. The  insertion  of  the  rubric  into  the  text  of  incantation  appears 
in  the  Babylonian  magic,  see  King,  Babylonian  Magic , p.  xxviii.  It  may  be 
queried  whether  our  sorcerer  is  not  reciting  a form  unintelligible  to  him; 


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cf.  the  intrusion  of  rubrics  into  the  Psalms.  The  ancient  charm  was  for 
binding  the  good  spirits  as  well  as  the  evil;  the  incantation  as  well  as  the 
exorcism  was  a « araSecgo^  (see  Heitmiiller,  “Im  Namen  Jesu,”  2d  part).  In 
the  early  Babylonian  magic  images  of  the  favorable  gods  were  made  and 
used  in  the  rites;  a good  example  is  found  in  Zimmern’s  Surpu  series,  no 
54  (p.  169  = Thompson,  Sem.  Magic,  p.  lviii).  Probably  idolatry  has  its 
basis  in  this  magical  idea.  Reverence  gradually  obscured  the  idea  that  the 
gods  were  thus  bound,  it  survived  only  in  the  word-magic.  But  in  the 
present  case  a “horn”  (symbol  of  power?),  probably  a cone  of  wax  or  the 
like  is  kneaded,  and  honey  poured  upon  it,  with  which  we  may  compare 
the  antique  anointing  of  the  sacred  stone  or  bethel,1  wherein  the  suppliant 
literally  “smooths”  the  face  of  of  deity  (Heb.  nSn).2  The  rubric  is,  I think, 
unique  in  Jewish  magic.  For  the  magical  use  of  honey,  see  Thompson  in 
Index,  s.  v. 

6.  rvn»  : for  the  plural,  cf.  instance  in  Jastrow,  Diet.,  834b;  or  the 
form  may  be  regarded  as  parallel  to  'nus. 

We  have  here  a bit  of  poetic  lore  about  the  angels,  describing  their 
worship  and  service  of  the  Almighty.  It  appears  to  be  a quotation  from 
some  Midrash.  Who  the  angel  invoked  is,  does  not  appear, — Michael? 
The  terms  1DD,  INS?,  are  probably  mysterious  utterances  to  awe  the  hearer; 
cf.  onto,  omo,  3:  3 (from  ytX”,  “hear,”  Nt?3  "lift  up  in  worship”?).  For 
the  description  “blowing  like  the  blast,”  etc.,  cf.  Ps.  104:  4. 

7.  rrvv : cf.  msovn  ’srv.  7:  5.  The  description  passes  to  a plural 
subject  here. 

limn:  a Rabbinical  form;  ua  = , “foot."  For  b = 3 cf. 

Noldeke,  Maud.  Gram.,  54. 

8.  The  choric  dances  of  the  angels  are  a pretty  fancy,  cf.  Job  38:  7. 


1 Small  conical  stones  are  found  in  the  oriental  explorations,  doubtless  domestic 
baitylia;  see  Vincent,  Canaan  d'apres  Vexploration  recente,  177,  and  Scheil,  Meinoires 
de  la  Delegation  Perse,  vii,  103,  112  f.  (Fig.  34-37,  340  ff,  374,  381). 

2 For  an  extensive  collation  of  like  instances  in  Graeco-Roman  magic  see  Abt, 
Die  Apologia  des  Apnleius,  222  ff.,  227.  May  the  term  in  Apuleius, paoCAevg, the  magic- 
god  whose  image  is  formed  for  purposes  of  sorcery,  (a  term  much  disputed  by  the 
commentators')  = iSa  = qxSfi.  the  word  used  here? 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


177 


9.  For  the  'lD,J  and  Knsip't?,  see  6:  2 and  p.  86.  ’pax  is  a masculinized 
form  of  xnpay  (see  p.  88). 

11.  p’Jin:  I cannot  identify.  The  Glossary  shows  two  other  men  of 
the  same  name. 

pOD’ : a Persian  name,  = “jasmine,”  cf.  Justi,  p.  145. 

TPD13 : the  same  name  in  No;  2 (in  ,N-). 

TnnD:  cf.  Syr.  “Torino,  Justi,  p.  186. 

’133:  the  Arabic  Fannuyeh;  see  Noldeke,  Persiche  Studien,  405. 

v'C?  hypocoristic  of  nW,  name  of  several  Amoraim ; see  Seder  ha- 
Doroth,  ii,  347.  Cf.  biblical  r6cy,  from  bv,  also  occurs  in  the 

Nabataean,  CIS,  ii,  nos.  185,208,221.  Noldeke  (in  Euting,  Nab.  Inschriften, 
74)  vocalizes  the  name  Sullai,  and  Berger  (see  to  No.  208)  compares  the 
Nabataean  name  Sullaios.  But  Lidzbarski  ( Bph ii,  16)  rejects  this  deri- 
vation and  derives  the  hypocoristic  from  D^C?. — Note  that  among  these 
nine  souls  only  one  strictly  Jewish  name  appears. 

12.  The  scriptural  quotation  is  from  Psalm  121, — a psalm  admirably 
adapted  for  a charm.  Cf.  note  to  5 : 5. 

13.  The  two  words:  “of  the  room  (recess,  bedchamber,  etc.),  of  the 
hall  (also,  cavern)”  evidently  refers  to  the  place  where  the  bowl  was  to 
be  placed.  The  first  word  may  be  in  construct  state,  or  the  two  terms 
may  be  parallel,  as  the  words  might  mean  the  same  thing.  pnTN  — 
Ass.  idranu,  and  is  current  in  the  Aramaic  dialects.  Jastrow  defines 
KT^SDK  as  especially  a “sitting  room  in  the  shape  of  an  open  hall”;  for 
some  discussion  of  its  etymology,  see  Payne-Smith,  col.  315. 


No.  13  (CBS  8694) 

’Ncd  nc  TnJBnm  nop  in  rrjmin  (2)  rpoiojn  rPDcy  pn^m  pmois  ncD 
,poni’  pc&6o  ,pj’N  (4)  ncs^o  ncx^o  ^’nni  ncsta  i>N'omi  (3) 

iS[si]  ms  ’J3  ^c  ’sjsn  sno  nc  (5)  “piconc  m ppcmi  [pjrpji  pccm 
sncn  Sy’D  njiDD’  ,pnniDCio'!  rmtycS  dinmc^sc  (6)  ,pnvmp!>  hy’J  mn  jt 
mi  me  mn1  citne  metric  prmrtc  prtc  mno  ,pem  ,no’y  (7)  ,NnSxi 
. . .^p!>p  lyi  nbwb  mm  mp  nom  sn  pin  pcs  io  miD’tcm  s^m  (8) 

Exterior 


si>i  lenten  xninne  .snn'S"  sSp  xmni  . . . p . . m s!>p  Sp  me  k!>p  bp  (9) 
nc  “pijonen  ncu  rrrvc  Tnietr  pc  ppcs  tpci  ’em  (10)  ’em  ’cn  mb' 
ins  snnpn  ncs  ’e  sp^  sh  s^enn’p  ti^cs  ’C  rrnn’s  (11)  snD 

P’nsn  . . . dimes  sne  nc  -punned  s’nm  ;n  shids  mpi  inn  (12)  jnsi 
iyi  [lyJ’Ji  tbwb  maty  [in  s]n!>n  smes  n^c  ins  pcs  . . nrp'ys 

Translation 

Closed  are  the  mouths  of  all  races,  legions  (2)  and  tongues  from 
Bahmanduch  bath  Samai.  (3)  And  the  angel  Rahmiel  and  the  angel 
Habbiel  and  the  angel  Hanniniel,  (4)  these  angels,  pity  and  love  and 
compassionate  and  embrace  Bahmanduch  (5)  b.  S.  Before  all  the  sons  of 
Adam  whom  he  begat  by  Eve,  we  will  enter  in  before  them ; from  their 
clothing  they  will  clothe  her  and  from  their  garments  they  will  garb  her, 
the  garment  of  the  grace  of  God.  (7)  With  her  they  will  sit,  on  this  side 
and  on  that,  driving  away  (demons?),  as  is  right.  In  the  name  of  Yhwh- 
in-Yah,  El-El  the  great,  (8)  the  awful,  whose  word  is  panacea,  this  mystery 
is  confirmed,  made  fast  and  sure  forever  and  ever. 

Exterior 

(9)  Hark  a voice  in  the  mysteries ! Hark  the  voice  of  the  voice 

of  a woman,  a virgin  travailing  and  not  bearing.  Quickly  be  enamored, 


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179 


( io)  be  enamored  and  come  Ephra  bar  Saborduch  to  the  marrow  of  his 
house  and  to  the  marrow  of  Bahmanduch  b.  S.  (n)  his  wife;  as  (she 
was)  a virgin  ( ?)  travailing  and  bearing  not,  so  (may  she  be)  fresh 
myrtle  for  crowns.  Amen,  Amen.  (12)  And  made  fast  and  sure  is 
salvation  from  Heaven  for  Bahmanduch  b.  S.  (13)  A preparation  (?)  .... 
leaven,  press  it  ( ?)  ....  Amen,  Amen,  Selah.  Salvation  and  peace  from 
Heaven,  forever  and  ever  and  ever. 

Commentary 

A charm  for  a certain  woman  against  the  reproach  of  barrenness,  that 
her  husband  may  love  her  and  she  may  have  children  by  him.  The  couple 
is  the  same  that  figures  in  No.  1,  which  is  particularly  a charm  against  the 
liliths ; these  are  supposed  to  have  prevented  the  natural  fruit  of  the  human 
union,  affecting  not  only  the  woman  but  also  the  man’s  love  and  virility. 
At  the  end  probably  is  given  an  aphrodisiac  recipe. 

This  text  and  No.  28  are  unique  among  early  Semitic  incantations, 
for  they  are  love-charms.  In  this  they  bear  the  closest  relation  to  the  Greek 
erotic  incantations,  on  which  I will  speak  more  particularly  under  No.  28. 
But  in  the  present  text  it  is  the  barren  forsaken  wife  who  speaks,  not  the 
passionate  lover,  as  in  No.  28  and  the  Greek  charms.  The  incantation  has 
a Jewish  cast  in  its  address  to  certain  angels,  whose  names  are  expressive 
of  love  and  in  its  use  of  biblical  divine  names.  Apparently  the  text  is 
shortened  from  a longer  model.  It  is  illiterate  in  style  and  script,  and 
contains  numerous  Hebraisms.  A feature  is  the  use  of  a wedge-shaped 
sign  (indicated  in  the  transliteration  by  a comma),  occurring  as  a separator 
between  words,  but  without  consistency. 

I.  '“13 D : for  ’TDD. 

rPttCOn  n'»Oy : either  antique  emphatic  plurals,  or  else  = 
Mandaic  plural  in  N’  — (see  to  9:  6).  The  second  word  is  an  artificial 
enlargement  of  the  Syriac  tegma  (ray/m)  for  the  sake  of  assonance  with 
‘V  (spelt  in  the  usual  archaic  Syriac  fashion).  The  passage  is  reminiscent 
of  Dan.  3 : 4.  Do  the  words  refer  to  classes  of  mankind,  and  the  taking 
away  of  the  woman’s  reproach  among  men?  Or  not  rather  to  ranks  of 
demons? — to  whom  we  expect  some  reference;  cf.  p.  80.  The  closing  of 
their  mouths  means  forstalling  their  curses,  cf.  p.  85.  N£On  is  particularly 


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used  of  the  cohorts  of  evil  (Payne  Smith,  .y.  v.)  and  in  the  Peshitto  trans- 
lates the  “legions  of  angels”  in  Mt.  26:  53. 

3.  The  three  angels  appear  (upon  some  reasonable  emendation)  to 
have  names  corresponding  to  the  verbs  in  the  next  lines.  Angels  were 
chosen,  or  invented,  for  the  pregnant  meaning  of  their  names ; so  Raphael 
became  the  patron  of  healing.  Rahmiel  is  the  genius  of  love  in  No.  28, 
and  in  one  of  Thompson’s  Hebrew  charms  from  Mossoul  ( PSBA , 1906- 
1907),  which  contain  many  incantations  for  love,  love  between  man  and 
wife,  and  also  for  breaking  marital  love;  once  we  find  a philtre  in  which  the 
angels  invoked  are  Ahabiel,  Salbabiel,  Opiel,  names  signifying  love  and 
its  passion  (1907,  p.  328,  no.  80).  Sx'Dn  and  ^xun  are  found  in  Schwab’s 
Vocabulaire,  and  the  latter  also  in  Stiibe,  1.  56. 

5.  The  line  is  obscure;  it  appears  to  present  a dramatic  scene  in  which 
the  sorcerer  and  his  client,  in  the  presence  of  the  adversaries,  shall  obtain 
judicial  vindication  of  love  from  the  favoring  angels.  The  reference  to 
Adam  and  Eve’s  offspring  has  a sympathetic  value. 

6.  01  trnS’O  assimilation  of  JO,  as  in  Hebrew;  for  the  idea  cf.  2:  2. 

xtD'n  b'yo  : a common  Semitic  idiom;  cf.  Is.  61:  10,  Eph.  6:  11;  in 

the  Samaritan,  xnuO'X  C’uSS  123  “03  (Heidenheim,  Bibliotheca 

sain,  ii,  pp.  xlii.  197,  § 24)  ; actual  investing  with  “grace”  occurs  in  the 
newly-found  Odes  of  Solomon,  4:7:  im2"0  C’38i  TO  00. 

7.  "TO  mro:  again  Hebraic.  The  following  word  may  be  a ditto- 
graph,  or  a Pael  of  nit.  For  this  protection  on  right  and  left,  cf.  6:  10. 

For  no  nin'  see  to  7:  8.  Sx^x,  in  the  Mandaic  religion,  epithet  of  the 
sun-deity  (Norberg,  Onom.,  9,  Brandt,  Mand.  Schr.,  31),  also  found  in 
the  Greek  magic,  Wessely,  xlii,  67.  It  may  be  a magical  reduplication; 
but  cf.  the  reduplication  of  ^x  in  the  South-Arabic  plural,  and  the  Hebrew 
^’Sx,  probably  once  a divine  name — to  be  connected  with  Ellil  of  Nippur? 
— see  Clay,  “Ellil,  the  God  of  Nippur,”  AJSL,  1907,  269. 

8.  1DX  ^3 : cf.  13 : 2. 

nom  : this  spelling  occurs  also  in  a neo-Syriac  manuscript  published 
by  Lidzbarski  ( Die  neu-aramaischen  Handschriften  der  konigl.  Bibliothek 
z.  Berlin,  Weimar,  1896,  447)  ; otherwise  HDnn  = nviT>.  For  a discussion 
of  the  word  and  its  origin  see  Noldeke,  N eusyrische  Gram.,  386. 


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181 


V“itri  D'p:  the  same  formula  in  Lidz.  5. 

At  the  end  of  this  line  which  is  on  the  edge  of  the  bowl,  the  scribe 
has  attempted  to  continue  and  has  written  a few  characters ; he  then  started 
afresh  on  the  exterior. 

9.  xbp  bp  : bp  is  used  like  the  Hebrew  blp.  The  piteous  plaint  of 
the  sufferer  is  thus  expressed,  to  move  the  sympathy  of  the  celestial  ones. 
In  the  same  way  the  Babylonian  magical  texts  preface  their  rites  with  a 
description  of  the  plight  of  the  patient;  also  the  biblical  Psalms  often 
commence  in  like  manner.  A similar  phrase  appears  in  a bowl  of  Pognon’s, 
B 20,  but  there  the  reference  is  to  the  curses  of  unfortunate  souls  which 
alight  on  the  living.  There  may  be  the  reference  here  to  such  a ban — of  a 
virgin  gone  to  her  death  without  children.  In  this  case  ’Dn  (=  biblical  on, 
Syriac  on),  would  refer  to  the  stilling  of  her  “tongue.”  (Cf.  the  magical 
use  of  <nyri  in  a text  of  Wessely’s  xlii,  60  f.).  But  the  repetition  in  1.  11  in- 
clines me  to  the  view  that  the  virgin  who  “travails  and  does  not  bear”  is 
the  wife,  subject  perhaps  to  miscarriage  or  feminine  maladies.  Then  'Dn 
would  be  from  Din  = K’in , “hasten,”  and  so  = “quickly,”  cf.  Ass.  NDri; 
the  word  would  then  correspond  to  the  frequent  ffin  f/<5r/  raxv  raxv  as  at  the 
end  of  the  Hadrumetum  love  charm  (see  to  No.  28),  and  see  note  to  14:  4. 

VTOi  '3n3  '3n3:  the  verb  used  for  “love”  is  X3n,  where  we  expect  33l"i; 
cf.  Heb.  3ns.  For  this  triple  adjuration,  see  No.  28. 

10.  01  rpjro  *11 3 b : I have  tried  in  my  translation  to  express  the 
difficult  word  *113 , which  primarily  “body,”  comes  to  mean  the  essence, 
essential  thing.  The  reference  is  sexual,  and  the  word  has  such  connotations 
(see  Jastrow,  s.  v.). 

11.  wbas  '3:  this  appears  to  be  an  error  for  xnbin3,  as  in  1.  9;  or 
possibly  ppl.  fern,  in  -te,  “mourner”?  ’3  ...  ’3  are  used  correlatively,  and 
we  must  suppose  a lacuna:  as  she  (was)  in  the  joyless  condition  of  child- 
lessness, so  (her  future  state  shall  be  symbolized  by)  fresh  myrtle  for 
crowns.  Some  literary  form  has  been  so  rubbed  down  as  to  be  almost 
unintelligible.  For  this  correlation  of  ’3  ...  '3,  see  some,  as  yet  unnoticed 
cases  in  the  Hebrew,  e.  g.  Gen.  18:  20.1  Myrtle  as  sacred  to  the  goddess  of 
love  (Baudissin,  Studien,  ii,  198  f.)  makes  an  appropriate  simile. 


1 See  my  notes  in  JBL,  1912,  p.  144. 


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12.  tn2i2N  : this  line  is  provokingly  obscure.  Since  a magical 
philtre  is  here  prescribed,  I venture  to  suggest  that  '2  = Latin  praeparatum 
(the  verb  being  used  by  Pliny  for  preparing  drugs,  foods,  etc.).  Or  it 
may  be  the  Rabbinic  JT1212,  “hash,  salad”  (which  however  does  not  explain 
the  D).  pnsn  is  leaven,  which  as  a ferment  would  be  appropriate  to  an 
aphrodisiac.  vrp'yN  is  fern,  imperative,  “press  it.”  Aphrodisiac  herbs, 
used  magically  or  medicinally,  are  common  in  all  erotic  praxis. 


No.  14  (CBS  16917) 

TnrDTini5  Nnonn^  iiito  XD3  pin  X3P  xn^x  mrp  nt^iy  ’jx  “ptjra  [xdd  pnn] 
DIKO  PD  PD  GW 3 xmp  D^PJX  016^3  XE>’[3]  (2) D3D  l^V  rvySB'X  pinno  H3 

01  mora  T’li  (3)  x mon  x.o’  by  rpn33“iD  rr  p'nnn  Pin’1  pin1  no  no 

n'Dmi  ,xm3i  xnu  [o'm  niroi3ty  ntpxn  too  p3^y  rvystyx  3in  nio 

. . . ton  ^xn33i  ^xotd  oiK’3i  n’tyinx  onn1  tyirp  np^n  mi^n  xon  X3ta  x . . (4) 
i^x’js  'ja  !>xmj  ^x’odpdi  ^xmv  j’X’anDn  nvDty3  ^xntn  .tdbo  (5)  b . . . m*3 
pry'Dty  nn3n1x  x^ti  pnn  xo33  prpoK>  h3Txn  pcro  ppnoi  (6)  ppn  !>3i  bxnnj 
xntP’x  xrrrp1  xnu  ui>  pyn1  ponni  ion  p3n  nn1  x1  (7)  x1  pnn  xc33 

ni>D  iox  pox  ox 


Translation 

[This  bowl]  in  thy  name  do  I make,  Yhwh,  the  great  God.  May  this 

bowl  be  for  the  sealing  of  Hormizduch  bath  Mehduch.  I adjure  thee 

(2)  evil,  in  the  name  of  holy  Agrabis,  in  the  name  of  MS  MS,  in  the 
name  of  SP  SP  YHWK  YHWK,  who  removed  his  chariot  to  (above?) 

the  Red  Sea (3)  David,  the  Psalm  of  the  Red  Sea.  Again  I adjure 

you  by  him  who  lodged  his  Shekina  in  the  temple  of  light  and  hail,  and  his 

(4)  ...  the  exalted  king.  Hall'eluia,  Halleluia.  Oh  avaunt,  oh 

avaunt,  avaunt!  And  in  the  name  of  Michael  and  Gabriel (5)  in  the 

name  of  Sariel,  in  the  name  of  Seraphiel,  Suriel  and  Sarsamiel,  Gadriel, 
Peniel,  Nahriel.  And  all  Blast-demons  (6)  and  evil  Injurers,  whose  names 
are  recorded  in  this  bowl  and  whose  names  are  not  recorded  in  this  bowl, — 
oh,  (7)  oh,  avaunt,  sit  down  there!  And  ye  shall  be  cast  down,  sitting 
within  the  glowing  light  and  fiery  flame  (8).  Amen,  Amen,  Selah. 


Commentary 

A charm  for  a certain  woman,  in  the  name  of  Yhwh  and  the  angels, 
against  some  definite  (now  obscure)  demon  in  particular,  and  against  the 
devils  in  general. 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


2.  |‘0  : the  syllable  is  Athbash  for  iT;  cf.  )*2YfD  = mrp,  Stiibe,  1.  66 
and  p.  63.  D'rrUN  is  probably  also  a mathematical  anagram  for  the  divine 
name  or  power;  cf.  Abraxas,  = d'D'QN,  etc.  (see  p.  57,  and  to  7:  9),  of 
which  the  present  form  may  be  a corruption.  The  syllable  *\D  seems  to 
have  suggested  the  sea  of  epD.  pin'  is  for  rnn\ 

3 . Tin : the  lacuna  makes  the  reference  obscure ; a reference  to  one 
of  the  Psalms  of  David,  or,  by  error  to  the  Song  of  Moses? 

rpnnx’  '"ieeni:  the  Targumic  phrase,  e.  g.  Dt.  12:  5. 

NTGl  KTO  Ss’na  : hail  and  fire  are  frequently  found  together  in  the 
Old  Testament  as  manifestations  of  the  divine  presence;  e.  g.  Ps.  18:  13  f. 
Ezek.  38:  22.  But  cf.  especially  Rev.  11 : 19:  “Then  was  opened  the  temple 
of  God  that  is  in  heaven ; and  there  was  seen  in  his  temple  the  ark  of  the 
covenant ; and  there  followed  lightnings  and  voices  and  thunders  and  earth- 
quake and  great  hail.” 

4.  n’nns,  nn',  trim:  cf.  nn  X',  1.  7;  Ya  = interjection  “Oh.” 

Reitzenstein  has  called  attention  to  the  equivalence  of  these  expressions 
(commenting  on  Stiibe,  1.  14,  Poimandres,  292,  n.),  to  the  v&v  v$v  raxv 
of  the  Greek  magic,  as  applied  to  demons  in  the  sense  of  “at  once 
avaunt.”  For  examples,  see  the  endings  of  nos.  3,  5,  6 in  Wiinsch,  Antike 
Fluchtafeln,  and  the  editor’s  note  p.  13.  Cf.  a Christian  charm  in  Pradel’s, 
p.  72 : vemat  sanatio  celeriter,  abeat  abeat  abeat  malum. 

5.  All  these  angel  names  are  found  in  Schwab’s  Vocabalaire,  our 
bx'ODTD  being  probably  the  same  as  the  bs'OTD  there.  For  magical  refer- 
ences to  Suriel,  see  Lueken,  Michael,  71. 

6.  The  sorcerer  spares  himself  the  trouble  of  naming  the  evil  spirits 
by  applying  a “blanket”  charm  to  them  all ; cf.  1 : 14. 

xS-pi : see  to  3:  3. — n'~GTx:  evidently  a confusion  between  the 
passive  and  the  1st  person  active. 

pnn  : the  only  instance  in  these  bowls  of  this  rare  demonstrative; 
elsewhere  here  pin 

7.  jionn:  probably  Etpeel. — For  the  curse  at  the  end  cf.  7:  17. 


No.  15  (CBS  16087) 

rprp^  nb  ’inn  x’nty’i  kudk  (2)  ’larm  xn^x  nniox  bi  ’in  tid’d2  iot^'2 
id  ’m’tm^i  nn  id  i^i^i  itmp  (3)  m nm  nmn[i>i]  xdd  in  rmim 

i 

dxi  ’eidxi  ’sdxi  pAd  id  dx^  n^n  (4)  nni’iin  rt^m  nun  [in]  uxin’tyn 
Dxi5  DX^  tU’XI  pin’I’l  UD  (5)  KO’X  DXI  ’EIDXI  P’^D  X^  DX^>  KO’X  XJD  |D 

pDnmi  (6)  pp’tyi  pnn  pa’by  ’ujdi  ’mo  pud  tu’x  dxi  ’eidxi  p^d  *6 
(7)  [nn]y”n  nu^i  pmnDi  ps’pn  pimyi  pty’n  panm  pE’tm  pyaai  pirn 
xiui  xnppy  mivn  pnn’  n’nnm  xbnsi  xktij  niD’xn  pnn’  nnox 

xnin]  nn  nn  jdi  xdd  in  rniin  jd  pud  pnn’  niDEi  (8) 

in  ’irtD  jdi (9)  irxii’KU  [in]  'nn’tyin  jdi  ’in  in  b^nn  [jdi 

5>xniDi  ^>x’Dn.i  i’X’nnu  5>«’i  . . . ^xnnn  J’xniDi  bx’sn  dido  ’in 

I»x  jd[x  idx]  pD^y  G’p  mxnv  mu  nninni  i’xniDi 

Translation 

In  thy  name  and  in  thy  word,  Lord  of  all  healing,  God  of  love. 
(2)  Salvation  of  Heaven  for  the  house  of  Hormiz  bar  Mama  and  for  the 
dwelling  of  D6d(a)i  bath  (3)  Martha  and  for  Bar-gelal  bar  Dodai  and  for 
Bar-sibebi  bar  Cirazad,  even  for  all  her  house  and  dwelling  (4). 

Las  min  selik : watrefe  das  min  tnena 

Enas  Ids  Id  selik : watrefe  das  ends  (5)  mend 

Bhybdyn 

W enas  Ids  las  Id  selik : -watrefe  das  ends  mend. 

I scan  and  rhyme  (?)  against  you,  Spirits  and  Goblins  (6)  and  Plagues  and 
Howlers  and  Strokes  and  Circlet-spirits  and  evil  Arts  and  mighty  Works 

and  Idol-spirits  and  the  evil  Lilith  (7) And  I bind  you  with  bonds 

of  brass  and  iron  and  seal  you  with  the  figure  of  a seal  of  fire,  .....  (8) 

And  I banish  you  from  Hormiz  b.  M.  and  Dodai  b.  [M.  and]  Bar- 

gelal  b.  D.  and  Bar-sibebi  b.  C.  (9)  and  Mehoi  bar  Dodai,  in  the 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


name  of  Rophiel  and  Suriel  and  Gabriel  [and  . . .]  and  Rahmiel  and  .hatiel 
and  Suriel  ....  and  Serariel  . And  by  the  seal  of  Yhwh  Sebaoth  is  it 
established  forever.  Amen,  Amen,  Amen. 


Commentary 

A charm  for  several  persons,  whose  relations  to  each  other  are  not 
definite.  They  may  be  members  of  one  household — a kind  of  Pension. 
The  virtue  of  the  charm  lies  in  the  use  of  a doggerel  couplet.  The  figure 
in  the  center  of  the  bowl  is  a serpent  with  its  tail  in  its  mouth ; see  p.  54. 

1.  T'Dlll:  for  this  abbreviated  form  of  Ahura-mazdah,  see  Tusti,  p. 
98,  the  same  name  in  Lidz. 

xoxo  = 'NOXD,  'OSD,  as  in  No.  8. 

'111:38:4,  \xiil;  hypocoristicon  from  in,  “friend,  uncle,”  etc.;  cf. 
the  biblical  name  nil  and  its  variant  '111,  also  Dada,  12:  2.  The  present 
name  is  feminine;  may  it  mean  the  diidai,  “love-apple”?  Justi,  p.  86,  lists 
a Duday. 

2.  smo:  a Jewish  name  found  in  the  Gospels  and  in  a Palestinian 
ossuary  inscription  (Lidzbarski,  Handbuch,  318)  = mso,  8:  5. 

lini:  a proper  name  after  Arabic  formation?  = “round  lump, 
excrement,”  etc.  Galal  is  a biblical  name. 

'32'K’12  : yL"  is  a form  of  necklace  charm,  see  to  1.  6.  The  mother  has 
named  her  child  after  the  amulet  whose  virtue  she  supposed  gave  to  her 
or  protects  the  babe. 

iTXinT’D:  the  Persian  Cihrazad;  see  Justi,  p.  163.  The  C’O  is  an  attempt 
to  represent  the  Persian  hard  ch.  The  name  is  the  same  as  that  of  the 
famous  raconteuse  of  the  Arabian  Nights. 

3.  nn'3  : doubtless  referring  to  Dodai,  who  appears  to  have  procured 
the  charm  for  the  household. 

4.  61  P'^D  ;d  dxS  : this  and  the  following  line  contain  a magical 
incantation  expressed  in  a rhyming  doggerel  couplet.  (In  the  first  occur- 
rence of  '310X1,  the  1 was  first  omitted,  then  written  above,  and  finally 
the  word  was  rewritten  that  there  might  be  no  infraction  of  the  charm.) 
First  of  all,  there  is  a couplet  rhyming  at  the  caesuras  and  at  the  end; 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


187 


then  the  last  line  is  repeated  in  1.  5,  introduced  by  the  obscure  combination 
p“J3'in,3.  A similar  doggerel  formula  is  presented  by  Myhrman  in  his 
edition  of  the  Babylonian  magical  Labartu  series  ( ZA , xvi,  188;  cf.  Jastrow, 
Rcl.,  i,  339).  It  is  there  called  a siptu,  “incantation,”  and  runs  thus 
(following  Jastrow’s  arrangement)  : 

ki  | risti  libiki  | risti  la  libiki  | la  libi  [ pis  | pisti  sa 
anzisti  | sa  anzis  j su  anzis  | anzis.  | 

For  Greek  parallels  see  p.  61.  The  repeated  njd  of  the  couplet  is  taken 
up  by  TPJDl  TiJ'S . The  roots  NJO  and  J13  may  refer  to  the  scansion  of 
the  couplet. 

5.  pp’t**  = the  Arabic  demon  sikk — sometimes  interpreted  as  one-half 
( sikk ) man,  one-half  demon,  but  probably  a demon  of  weariness;  see  Lane, 
Arabian  Nights,  c.  1,  n.  21,  van  Vloten,  JVZKM,  vii  180. 

6.  pivv:  see  p.  81;  here  between  categories  of  maladies,  in  Myhrman 
between  “devils”  and  “spirits.” 

pD’C:  the  Targumic  p33t?  (Jastrow,  p.  1510),  a feminine  ornament, 
some  kind  of  pendant  chain,  see  Krauss,  Talm.  Archaologie,  i,  204  and 
note;  belonging  to  the  category  of  noin,  Nnp3j?,  etc.,  see  p.  87  f.  Cf.  the  name 
above  ’,33,cn3,  where  the  uncontracted  form  survives. 

7.  Brass,  lead,  fire,  all  potent  against  demons.  Cf.  the  “chains  of  lead,” 
39:  4 f.  The  bonds  of  hell  are  called  catenae  igneae  in  a Latin  charm, 
Wunsch,  Ant.  Fluchtafeln,  no.  7;  also  the  “adamantine  chains”  in  Paris 
Papyrus,  Wessely,  xxxvi,  1.  1227  fif. 

9.  Mehoi : hypocoristic,  cf.  Mehducht,  etc. 


No.  16  (CBS  2920) 

poD’bi  pminju  mnm«  *nxi  m np'ityi’i  (2)  prnoDX  -q  nrn!>  x’oty  jo  xmcx 
jinmmp^i  jirrma^i  (4)  'lppty  'J3  ’Wj>i  Drmxjp  pjai>i  pinna^i  ’mDir6i(3) 
H31  n’DKM3i  xroi?yn  mxn  pna  ^3  pnp  (5)  yr  xPi  po’pmi  jimi  pja  pnb  jinn) 
«niDK  mnn  xnnn  xpiru  mnn  npnyn  tymn  (6)  nA  ’tnm  xtynp  xn^x  npn 
m3  pn^i3  ptym  xmi  mnn  xun  xnpcy  mnn  (7)  xn^2n  xrma  mnn  xpmo 
mm  xro  jD’pj  mh  j’tym  pmox  mnty(8)  .nn  xn^xn  mom  mnn  n3ityn 
xn^33t3i  ^xji  no  mm  nsitym  (9)  mm  xnnoityi  xmnn  naim  xntmn 
xna^tyxi  xnsipncyxi  (10)  xnaim  xn^ni  ’!mpi  xnpjxi  xnni^i  xdohi  m^n 
nanei  (11)  ’jddi  pm  mtyi  xnunmen  rniDxi  nnpn  x^pn3i  xmyasi  xyjs 
jtym  jmox  xoom  m^n  xnimn  y 3tyi  mpn  nmyi  ’tyn  ’trim  xm^i 
pan1  joi  p’jin  jai  mnmx  xnxn  n3  ppnty  joi  pmcox  nn  nan  jd  (12)  jaatyoi 
n^n  jimma  j»i  npnsy  mn  jdi  annx  joi  (13)  n:s  joi  pinna  jdi  xmsia  jai 
mm  noxp  n^o  tax  (14)  jax  D^iyh  jjn  xan  ja  n^n  jimnnn  jai  pnmnp  jai 
trx’a  ^a  nix  m wX^n  a^tyima  mman  pa  mn’  nym  joon  pa  mm  nym  iaon  i?x 

Translation 

Salvation  from  Heaven  for  Dadbeh  bar  Asmanduch  (2)  and  for 
Sarkoi  bath  Dada  his  wife  and  for  Honik  and  Yasmin  (3)  and  Kufithai 
and  Mehduch  and  Pannoi  and  Abraham  and  Silai  the  children  of  Sarkoi, 
(4)  and  for  their  house  and  their  property,  and  that  they  may  have 
children  and  may  live  long  and  be  established,  and  that  (5)  no  Injurer 
in  the  world  may  touch  them. 

And  in  his  great  name,  whereby  the  holy  God  is  called — wherein  are 
arts  ( ?) — (6)  which  suppresses  darkness  under  light,  plague  under  healing, 
destruction  under  construction,  injury  (7)  under  ban,  anger  under  repose: 
suppressed  are  all  the  sons  of  darkness  under  the  throne  of  God,  in 
whose  (?)  name  (8)  are  bound,  suppressed  Devils;  gripped  likewise  are 
evil  Spirits  and  impious  Amulet-spirits  and  Names  and  Princes  of  (9) 


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J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


189 


darkness  and  the  Spirit  (breath)  of  foulness  and  fatigue  and  the  Tormentors 
of  night  and  day  and  Curses  and  Necklace-charms  and  Words  and  Adjura- 
tions (10)  and  Knockings  and  Rites,  the  Plague  and  the  she-Plague  and 
the  voice  of  Invocation,  and  the  Spell  of  poverty  and  Demons  and  Devils 
and  Satans  (n)  and  Idol-spirits  and  Liliths  and  Arts  and  mighty  Works 
and  the  seven  Tormentors  of  night  and  day.  They  are  bound,  suppressed 
and  laid,  (12)  away  from  Dadbeh,  etc.  (as  in  11.  1 ff.),  (13)  and  from  all 
their  house  and  from  their  property  and  from  all  their  abode,  from  this  day 
forever.  Amen,  Amen,  (14)  Selah.  “And  Yhwh  said  to  Satan,”  etc. 

Commentary 

A charm  for  the  large  family  that  appeared  in  No.  12.  It  contains 
an  extensive  and  repetitious  list  of  demoniac  species. 

5.  41  nwa:  I have  translated  literally;  the  original  form  may  have 
been:  rnb  ’cnn  npn  'p  xn^Xl  '2  '2  “the  great  name  ...  which  magicians 
invoke.” 

6.  ppl.  act. 

7.  “Sons  of  darkness”:  contrast  the  “sons  of  light,”  1:  9. 

8.  X2iL‘Tn  'Dim:  cf.  the  Pauline  rove  Kocfionparopaq  rov  GKorovg  tovtov , Epli. 

6:  12. 

•6x31  no  nn  : lit.  “foul  and  laboring  spirit”  (breath;  in  Bekor.  44b 
(an  obscure  passage)  there  is  a disease  or  demon  called  xbx:,  which  is 
interpreted  as  “asthma”  (Jastrow,  j.  v.).  Foulness  of  breath  was  cause 
for  divorce,  Krauss  Taint.  Enc.  i,  256.  Cf.  the  n^s,3  12  of  29:  7,  which  is 
found  in  the  same  passage  from  Bekoroth. 

10.  mpn  x^pro:  see  pp.  52,  84. 

11.  p222’D:  Af. ; cf.  English  “lay  a ghost.” 

Knu,2D,cn  mox:  cf.  the  Rabbinic  41TD2  'X,  “genius  of  nourishment,” 
and  see  pp.  79,  n.  70,  and  86,  n.  112. 


No.  17  (CBS  2922) 

nntaai  (3)  rrp'atr  xn-^ma  na  tr'oiD  pijk  NtAy  (2)  mi  pc?  «or  ^au  nop  jn 
parniyaaN  pam^n  pijn  Nnamni  xnp^  (4)  snm  ton*  '3'rv  maim 

por  (6)  pam:  byp  panyo  tdd  pntmaj’  n5p  pnn!>t?  ^’ony  (5)  parntron 
tmoa^  (7)  pD’on  ah  ipai  iyoty  nrLA  nr6  papxi  not?  jn!>a  pao’tn  pa'by 
naa  (8)  nntrmxoi  xrLa  pi  nmn  pal  nma  to  ^a  pm  pa  nmaa  ana^no  na 
pa’axn  npp’3  paGy  'Jtoin  n'nna  p yt?W’  paAy  nVn  snotra  pa^y  mu 
Nnotra  jnni’t?  nan  puomi  mooi  pantami  parnu  pa!’  ami  pao'an  anpm  (9) 
aai>  ana  nou  mma  p yt?in’  aa!5  Tax  pnann  mma  py^im  pa’by  (10)  h^kh 
ipai  itaoa  an!"!’  aan^a  paaai  ntat^  p^a  (11)  pa'D’an  una  nantma  ao’  aayra 
nmnm  (12)  nnoa  nnmna  ah  nnma  a>  anaimo  na  tmoia!*  n!>  pomn  ah 
pa  amoai  xmax  s’cs  n'nna  p yt?inn  anpryai  ns?  i’an  anppya 
anotra  pab  ppa'aa  an^aao  ^a  journal  ihtaa  (13)  tmoia  ua  poinh  Tnrh  h aaab 

ni>D  pa  pa  pnb 


Translation 

This  day  above  any  day,  years  and  generations  of  (2)  the  world,  I 
Komes  bath  Mahlaphta  have  divorced  (3)  separated,  dismissed  thee,  thou 
Lilith,  Lilith  of  the  Desert,  (4)  Llag  and  Ghul.  The  three  of  you,  the  four 
of  you,  the  five  of  you,  (5)  naked  are  ye  sent  forth,  nor  are  ye  clad,  with 
your  hair  dishevelled  behind  your  backs.  (6)  It  is  announced  to  you,  whose 
mother  is  Palhan  and  whose  father  (Pe)lahdad,  ye  Liliths:  Hear  and  go 
forth  and  do  not  trouble  (7)  Komes  b.  M.  in  her  house.  Go  ye  forth 
altogether  from  her  house  and  her  dwelling  and  from  Kalletha  and  Artasria 
(8)  her  children.  I have  warded  against  you  with  the  curse  which  Joshua 
bar  Perohia  (.sic)  sent  against  you.  I adjure  you  by  the  honor  (name)  of 
your  father  (9)  and  by  the  honor  of  your  mother,  and  take  your  divorces 
and  separations,  thy  divorce  and  thy  separation,  in  the  ban  which  is  sent 
(10)  against  you  by  Joshua  b.  Perahia,  for  so  has  spoken  to  thee  Joshua 
b.  P. : A divorce  has  come  to  thee  from  across  the  sea.  There  is  found 
written  (in  it),  ye  whose  mother  is  (11)  Palhan  and  whose  father 


(190) 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


191 


Pelahdad,  ye  Liliths : And  now  flee  and  go  forth  and  do  not  trouble  Komes 
b.  M.  in  her  house  and  her  dwelling. 

I bind  (12)  and  I seal  with  the  seal  of  El  Shaddai  and  with  the  seal 
of  Joshua  b.  Perahia  the  healer,  healing  and  release  from  Heaven  for  Aba 
and  Yazdid  and  Honik  sons  of  Komes.  Thwarted  and  frustrated  are  all 
Injurers,  whom  we  have  removed  by  the  ban  upon  them.  Amen,  Amen, 
Selah. 


Commentary 

A charm  effected  by  a woman  for  herself  and  her  children,  who  appear 
in  two  different  groups,  in  the  name  of  Joshua  b.  Perahia.  It  is  an  abbrevi- 
ated and  often  incorrect  replica  of  No.  8. 

1.  For  the  corrupted  formula,  cf.  6:  5 and  see  p.  55.  The  full  form 
appears  in  no.  16020  (unpublished)  “this  day  out  of  all  days.  I Honik,” 
etc. 

2.  1.  7 the  name  obscure;  cf.  K o/unrrapvri t Justi,  p.  165. 

xnabnE:  for  this  name,  frequent  in  these  bowls,  and  its  equivalents, 
see  Noldeke,  Bncyc.  Bib.,  s.  v.  “Names,”  § 62. 

n,p,3t^:  Peal,  the  following  verbs  Pael. 

3.  For  the  singular  and  plural  number,  see  to  8:  2.  The  word  lilith 
is  spelt  badly.  For  the  son  ‘b  cf.  29:  7,  and  see  p.  78;  the  parallel  has 

torn 

5 . The  correct  grammatical  forms  are  found  in  8 : 3 ; the  lilith  names 
following  are  also  mangled. 

6.  pD-’Dn : Afel  of  DDJ. 

7.  xn?3,  i.  e.  “bride”;  cf.  the  Babylonian  name  Ina-ekur-kallatu,  cited 
to  me  by  Prof.  Clay. 

n'-iCTHN : a form  of  Artachsathra,  and  cf.  Apra<r^o?;  Justi,  p.  35. 

8.  iTTTna:  so  1.  12,  but  the  correct  spelling  in  1.  10;  probably  assimila- 
tion to  Persian  farruch. 

For  “glory”  = “name,”  see  on  8:8,  and  n.  b.  the  equivalent  zzarepov 
66%ai,  Wisdom,  14:  24. 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


9.  TD:  f.  pi.  impr.  of  3DJ;  but  lyro ty  in  1.  6.  The  following  jnn^C’  ns'T 
is  a perversion. 

10.  = ’3^- 

11.  1DOS  1D1D.  ef.  pQ , 1.  7,  plus  conjunction  D;  for  another  instance 
see  Glossary;  probably  a dialectic  survival.  2 appears  in  the  Senjirli  inscrip- 
tions and  the  Elephantine  papyri. 

12.  N’DS:  the  same  title  in  34:  12. 

xmos:  formation  from  Pael,  = Rabbinic  xnCQ. 

frequent  Talmudic  name,  Seder  ha-Doroth,  ii,  3-18. 

TIP:  probably  error  for  TPP,  see  7:  3. 

13.  ppTS:  Pael,  1st  pers.  plural. 


No.  18  (CBS  8695) 

pa’prvn  ppxt  dw  (2)  ioi  vpx  *u  msxi  xn’3!>[i  xsyaj^]  xnipx  x'ay>  fan-13 
[p“inn]  pud  ^3  pna  yv  xh  pa’pnn  (3)  pm  nnrrx  ’iubv’x  fa  [pj3  rpi>] 
[xa’inyi  hhi  ’]tbh  pn^a  X3^a  xnn  mD’x  5>x  (4)  rpnx  pyx  mrix  01^3  xo^y 
[xnnn  xn^]^  mn  nm3  m xrp^  D3l>n3  ’3  Ay  (5)  rpystyx  xnAA-t  X3i 
...  [xnpm“i]i  ’pmn  xS>3xi  xpjm  xsnai  x'nmi  ...x’3xm  (6)  xn  mxn  nsipo’-x  by 
. . . pop  xn’mam.  •ooi’A  DB.-ia3  pna’m  ’3  Ay  (7)  rpy3yx  xmy  ’a’a  nva 
xa’J  pai>  irons  xn  xnAA  ^yi  in  nona  (8)  i>yi  ’in  i>yi  ’my  by  aAy  inn  x[i3J] 
inpy  pnAy  pnnn  xi>  (9)  31m  prpyA  xan  ’my  p[3H3  xas  pa] rr’  moam 
ptnnTi  xin  [tp]x  is  npbxt  pnn  xnpo  ja  ipnhyi  innpi  panaia  i”3pi  pson 
n’xi  [Ai  poin  prA  ji3]-ip’n  xi>i  pyrn  xi>i  imnn’x  ’non’xi’  rA  xi>  my  nA  (10) 
. . . ’ana  mn  jaax’  fanna  . aia»3  naan  nab’ns  xin  (11)  piAAp  nab’nn  xb  prA 
fax  n’yxps  ’a’  ny’y  (12)  xai>y  ’ai’  fa  ypis[a  oy  rAy  mini  pop  xnpryja 

rmiAn  n^D  fax 


Commentary 

This  inscription  is  yet  another  duplicate  to  the  three  collated  under 
No.  11.  It  is  badly  written  and  mutilated,  and  would  be  in  large  part 
unintelligible  without  the  other  texts.  It  presents  little  that  is  new  and  a 
translation  is  not  necessary. 

1.  The  name  of  Ephrah’s  father  is  uncertain.  From  what  appears 
here,  it  may  be  ’PPX;  cf.  ’n’XP3,  in  Seder  ha-Doroth  ii,  47.  In  1.  9 it 
looks  like  ”’X,  i.  e.  Aye?  But  the  strokes  may  be  for  abbreviation. 

2.  A prayer  for  offspring  is  here  expressed. — ’IPJBY’X  ; hypocoristicon 
for  mnnnjD¥’x,  see  26:  4. 

5.  D3i>n3:  again  this  name  differs;  but  the  tradition  of  the  granddam’s 
name  is  accurate. 


XT  n3X3:  i.  e.  pipbxp. 

6.  rt’SXP  : ppl.  of  X3P . 


(193) 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYEONIAN  SECTION. 


'pn  : if  not  an  error,  this  is  a further  development  of  a word  with  a 
history : dakdak  = dardak  = darak. 

Nrp¥  'D'O  nv'D:  the  probable  reading.  NJl'Y  is  biblical.  The  dirty  habits 
of  these  foul  demons  appear  in  the  Babylonian  magic ; they  are  compared 
to  pariah  dogs  and  are  exorcised  by  the  spirit  of  foul  streets,  see  Utukki 
series,  B,  46;  cf.  v.  col.  5.  1.  21. 

8.  nntsan:  for  'a  xn. 

9.  imp:  if  we  read  so,  we  may  compare  the  magic  formula  in  Pesah. 
110a,  'T'mp  mp  (see  to  1 : 6).  The  verb  = piy,  by  transposition,  com- 
mon especially  in  Mandaic.  Lidzbarski  in  his  parallel  (see  to  No.  11) 
reads  xip  and  translates  “spring  up”;  but  read  there  Nip  mp. 


No.  19  (CBS  16018) 

mnoip  (3)  Nbip  Nonnoi  Nonmi  np’dn  'onpp  (2)  n'dn  npnidn  no  "jotro 
Nbn  j'pd'n  Nyo’tyo  Nnabno  in  '«3m  (4)  npn’on  p'typtyo  jnnp  nnotmo  noi 
mbNP  nop  Nobo  bio'N  Nno  "i’o^3  jnon'o  Nbn  (5)  ponn  nnonoi  jnnty'o 
nop  Nno  niopbo  diboi  NnNonD'NP  Nnop  Nnobo  (6)  n'biO'N  pmo  -j'Dtyoi 
Nb’bo  N’PO  DIDOI  D1P3JN  Dltyoi  Jlba  PO  blO’N  DltyOl  (7)  HOPUnD  DlB’Ol  OPJOP 
DltyOl  NHN1  . . 01D10  no  DIOPPJ  DIDOI  (8)  D’bW  NOTN  DIDOI  NDOPN1  N^POI 
npnop'J  NnNpnD’N  noni  (9)  non  mbN  j'n’ty  nityoi  Ntoni  Non  no  bN'aoD 
. . . .mop  nop  N*no  pjn  Dityoi  nmNUO  po  tyn rp  Nty.'typ  Nnoo  nod’ppn  Dityoi 
Nyotyi  nponp  Nmb'D  p'mb'D  n'b  Njpnoi  Nt^noi  Nbna  b'yb  pop  'prow  (10) 
'jnba  mtyoi  jvo'byi  j.  . . N’toaiDi  (11)  bNon  po  njpjo  Dityoi  nopoop  pop  non 
bN'PTON  Dityoi  d'opon  Dityoi  Don  po  dp/n  Dityoi  b . . . oo  tyop'ooi  jponooi 

Dityoi  Dionbyo  dipo  dipo  dip  j.poi  jtpn  Dityoi  (12)  n'b  n'N  Nb  'onpp 

noNbo  (13)  bio'N  N-no  Dityoi Dityoi  'pioppp  nop  ND’btyb  bipty  ppty  bmoNb 

n’DN  priN  pot  po  pnN  c.it^op  'opjop  nop  n'poi  Noon  Npb’N  Dityoi  'pyn  nop 
monm  Npnty  ppn  ndoi  (14)  npd'n  'tyn  'oddi  'in  n'ty  bo  by  'inn  'inbni 
pbm  pn'Dty’o  p'ty  Nb  'nip'  mnn  joi  p’ao  Nb  nniD’N  po  tyo'NP  pn'by  '0"p 
p'typtyo  jn[pp]  nnoao  jp'np  (15)  Nntyn  Nn'b'bi  tymooi  NP'ty  ion  porno  'pd'n 
npdno  pp'DN  oin  N'otyo  pon'noi  nyoNo  ppd'no  Nnabno  po  'nopp  nprroo 
jon  Nnabno  po  'nopp  npmop  (16)  p'typtyo  jnm  nnoe  po  po  no'oho  j'O'nm 
p'typtyo  j'ppp  nnoa  by  mNP  Nponai  Nnooim  tynopi  Nini  NP'ty  'P'dn  oin 
nodi  oo'tyo  P'dn  oin  n'bio’NO  (17)  O'nm  bio'NO  Nnabno  po  'opp  npn'on 
n'o  npt'yo  o'dn  oin  nor  po  jppno  j'O'nm  noo  mbNo  p'dn  oin  npioo  Q'nm 
nop  NO'btyo  j'O'nm  Npnty  NpbNO  J'P’dn  oin  NTiyn  nop  Nb’ooo  po’nm  jion 
oityo  Nnabno  po  'nopp  npmop  p’typtyo  j’ppp  nnoa  j’o  po  'pioppp  (18) 
n 'nopo  . . . napoo  D'&yoi  Dial  pdd'Pp  bN’TTN  nop  ndip  Npoity  dio’PIN  dto'opdd 
p’tyNibo  ib'y  jin’  piop’no  mbN  obyo  (19)  NO'by  no.n  Dityoi  lonn'o  'ob’b 
naoio  Nooyi  P'^npp  nh.o  j’o  Dnnn'j  Nnabno  po  'nopp  'ppn'on  p'typtyo  j'ppp 

nopp  npn’on  (20)  p'typjyop  Nn'o  j'ppbi  jip'O  Nb  Nob did  'O'no  p'bjn 

j'o  noo'o  Nbi  p'b'bo  Nb  n'o  jirnn'o  Nbi  p’b  jiopp'o  Nbi  jiby'o  Nb  Nnabno  po 

dbybi  jop  noi’ 


(195) 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


Translation 

In  thy  name,  O Lord  of  salvations,  the  great  Saviour  (2)  of  love. 

Charmed  and  sealed  and  countersealed  is  the  whole  (3)  person  and 
the  bedchamber  of  this  Mesarsia,  surnamed  (4)  Goldsmith,  bar  Mahlaphta, 
with  the  seven  spells  which  may  not  be  loosed,  and  with  the  eight  seals  (5) 
which  may  not  be  broken. 

In  thy  name,  lord  Ibbol,  the  great  king  of  the  Bagdani;  and  in  thy 
name,  our  lady  Ibboleth,  (6)  the  great  queen  of  the  goddesses  (she- 
dernons?),  and  in  the  name  of  Talasbogi  the  great  lord  of  the  Bagdani; 
and  in  the  name  of  Sahnudmuk ; (7)  and  in  the  name  of  Ibbol  son  of  Palag; 
and  in  the  name  of  Angaros ; and  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  the  Word  and 
Leader  and  Armasa  (Hermes)  ; and  in  the  name  of  Azpa  and  ‘Alim;  (8) 
and  in  the  name  of  Nakderos  the  lord  of  . . . ; and  in  the  name  of  Seraphiel, 
lord  of  judgment  and  of  (divine)  beck;  and  in  the  name  of  the  60  male 
gods  (9)  and  the  80  female  goddesses;  and  in  the  name  of  Ardisaba  (or 
Ardi)  the  most  ancient  of  his  colleagues;  and  in  the  name  of  Anad  the 

great  lord  (10)  cast  above  (him)  iron  and  bronze,  and  fastened 

to  him  fetters  (?)  of  lead  and  the  70  exalted  priests  of  Bagdana;  and  in 
the  name  of  Bagdana  son  of  Habal  (destruction).  (11)  ...;  and  in  the 
name  of  Palnini  and  Mandinsan  and.Menirnas  ...;  and  in  the  name  of 
Iras  son  of  Lianas ; and  in  the  name  of  Abrakis  (Abraxas)  ; and  in  the  name 
of  Agzariel,  who  is  without  compassion;  (12)  and  in  the  name  of  Arzan 
and  . . . , ros  herds  dcltcros;  and  in  the  name  ...  to  Ariel  he  sent  a message : 
“Lift  up”  ( ?),  ...  to  the  great  Ruler  before  him;  and  in  the  name  of  . . . ; 
and  in  the  name  of  lord  Ibbol  (13)  the  great  angel  of  the  Blast-demons, 
and  in  the  name  of  the  great  God  and  the  great  Lord  of  the  Bagdani ; in 
the  name  of  Arion  son  of  Zand:  Ye  are  charmed  and  armed  and  equipped. 

Against  all  Demons,  Devils  and  evil  Satans,  this  charm  (14)  and  bowl 
is  sure  and  its  seals  established  against  them,  from  whose  charm  none  ever 
goes  forth  and  from  whose  control  none  sallies  forth. 

In  the  name  of  these  charms  are  bound  there  Demon  and  Danhis  and 
the  evil  Lilith  (15)  which  are  in  the  body  of  this  Mesarsia,  surnamed 
Goldsmith,  b.  M.,  by  charms  in  earth  and  by  seals  in  heaven. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


197 


Again,  (ye  are)  charmed  with  a charm  and  sealed  a second  time  away 
from  the  body  of  this  Mesarsia,  (16)  etc.,  Amen. 

Again,  charmed  are  the  Demon  and  Devil  and  Danhis  and  Amulet-spirit 
and  Idol-spirit,  which  are  upon  the  body  of  this  Mesarsia,  etc.,  by  Ibbol, 
(17)  and  sealed  by  Ibboleth. 

Again,  charmed  by  Sinas  and  Mana,  and  sealed  by  fire. 

Again,  charmed  by  the  great  gods  and  sealed  by  Arion  son  of  Zand. 

Again,  charmed  by  the  seal  of  the  family  of  Hanun,  and  sealed  by  the 
great  ...  of  Zeiiza  (Zeus). 

Again,  charmed  by  the  true  God,  and  sealed  by  the  great  Ruler  (18) 
who  is  before  him,  away  from  the  body  of  this  Mesarsia,  etc. 

In  the  name  of  Patragenos,  Okinos  (Okeanos),  Sunka,  Kosa,  Kapa, 

Azaziel  (19)  his  constellation  (?),  that  this  Mesarsia,  etc., 

be  sealed  from  the  top  ( ?)  of  his  head  to  the  toes  of  his  feet they 

shall  not  be,  nor  this  house  of  Mesarsia,  (20)  etc.,  shall  they  enter  nor 
approach,  nor  appear  therein,  neither  by  night  nor  by  day,  from  this  day 
and  forever 

Commentary 

A charm  made  out  for  a certain  man  whose  body  is  infested  with  evil 
spirits;  with  great  elaboration  of  incantations  they  are  exorcised  from  him 
and  his  house.  The  inscription  is  thoroughly  pagan,  and  is  interesting 
because  of  its  invocation,  for  over  half  its  length,  of  an  extensive  list  of 
deities.  Cf.  a similar  long  list  in  Wiinsch,  Ant.  Fluchtafeln,  no.  4.  Unfor- 
tunately by  reason  of  the  coarseness  of  the  script  and  its  general  illegibility, 
most  of  these  names  are  obscure.  Some  of  them  are  definitely  Greek, — 
Zeus,  Protogonos,  Okeanos,  and  perhaps  the  Aeons,  male  and  female,  may 
be  made  out;  several  others  are  of  Greek  formation.  Others  again  are  of 
Persian  origin,  and  some  are  purely  charm-words,  “mystical”  names.  Some 
forgotten  cult  may  have  given  certain  of  the  names ; notice  the  reference 
to  the  70  priests  of  Bagdana. 

2.  K»rpn:  error  for  KD’nn. 

3.  rvnttip:  the  word  = “stature,”  then,  as  here,  “body,”  as  is  shown 
by  the  phrase,  in  a similar  connection,  in  bowls  published  by  Schwab  (E) 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


and  Stiibe  (11.  56,  64)  : the  demon  depart,  etc.,  from  the  248  rrnoip  ’Oin 
of  such  a one  (the  word  is  not  recognized  by  either  editor).  The  same  word 
occurs  in  the  interesting  magical  passage  in  Use.,  13:  18. 

: also  in  Schwab,  G;  a frequent  Talmudic  name  (see  Sefer  ha- 
Dorotli,  ii,  p.  276). 

4.  : this  surname  appears  as  a proper  name  in  Hagiga  2a. 

“Seven  spells  ....  eight  seals” : for  this  cumulative  expression,  cf.  Mica 
5:4;  see  5 : 2. 

5.  Tni‘’3  : cf.  28:  1. 

Vd’N:  also  below,  11.  7,  16.  In  1.  7 he  is  :6a  "13,  and  his  consort 
Jvbn'X  is  “our  lady.”  Professor  Clay  has  cited  to  me  a divine  name 
Ubbulti  appearing  in  a Cassite  tablet,  in  the  name  Ubbulti-lisir.  bl3is 
might  also  be  read,  and  I am  inclined  to  make  the  word  = Syriac  ubbala, 
“generation,”  etc.,  and  so  A luv.  For  a discussion  of  Aeon  as  supreme  deity, 
god  of  time,  etc.,  see  Reitzenstein,  Poimandres,  269  ff.  The  Aeons  appears 
in  the  magical  texts,  e.  g.  Dieterich,  Abraxas,  140,  1.  51  ; 192,  1.  21 ; 203,  1.  18. 
The  syzygies  of  Aeons  were  male  and  female — cf.  the  names  in  Origen’s 
list  at  the  beginning  of  his  work  Adv.  hacr.,  and  nvU'N  would  be  a forma- 
tion to  express  the  female  Aeon.  Derivation  from  Apollo  also  suggests 
itself,  but  the  feminine  is  not  thereby  explained. 

6.  ,n33  : Comparing  what  precedes,  the  word  means  some  class  of 
deities  or  demons.  In  1.  13  N3U3  is  a divine  name,  = the  demon  in  11:  5 
(q.  r.).  It  is  then  a word  like  Nrpx,  etc.,  which  can  be  used  individually  or 
generically.  It  evidently  contains  the  Indo-European  element  baga,  “god.” 
It  is  difficult  to  decide  whether  Bagdana  is  a propitious  or  maleficent  demon 
(as  in  No.  1 1 ) ; in  the  latter  case  he  is  charmed  to  work  the  good  of  the 
sorcerer’s  client,  as  in  the  Greek  incantations,  e.  g.  Hekate.  In  W.  T.  Ellis’s 
Syriac  text  (see  § 2)  appears  N3N133  N'lD  NTnt32\  “Samhiza  the  lord 
Bagdana,”  or  “the  lord  god”?  The  spelling  gives  the  vocalization  of  the 
penultimate  vowel.  For  5.  cf.  the  Enochian  Samaeza. 

7.  DTEUN:  the  ending  D1-  in  this  and  other  names  recalls  Greek 
formations.  May  this  word  = ayye/lof  2 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


199 


X^D:  in  Syriac,  “logical,”  etc.,  and  used  nominally  = to  loywov.  It  is 
here  associated  with  XDD1X,  both  being  names  of  a potency;  the  passage 
is  parallel  to  2 : 2,  q.  v. 

xbiiD:  if  the  reading  is  correct,  the  Rabbinic  , Afel,  may  give  the 
interpretation, — “leader,”  which  would  be  a fitting  epithet  of  Armasa- 
Hermes,  “the  shepherd”  par  excellence.  Cf.  the  idea  in  the  late  Hellenistic 
religion  of  a deity,  especially  Hermes,  as  a guide, ■frytfiw,  of  souls;  see 
Cumont,  The  Oriental  Religions  in  Roman  Paganism,  n.  63  p.  253.  It  may 
be  noticed  that  'ft  is  used  in  the  Talmud  of  a “traditional  word  or  saying” 
(Jastrow),  i.  e.  = logos? 

8.  bx'DID:  also  14:  8.  In  his  epithet,  XTftn  appears  to  be  used,  as  in 
the  Syriac,  of  the  divine  nod  or  intimation,  i.  e.  “command.” 

9.  X3DmN:  or  the  name  is  to  be  read  mx,  followed  by  XB^p  X713D  X3D 
tWp;  why  the  fem.  Xfl3D  ? 

10.  In  this  and  the  following  line  most  of  the  words  can  be  read,  but 
in  consequence  of  the  failure  of  the  context  the  text  defies  interpretation. 
The  three  metals  may  be  referred  to  as  having  magical  properties,  and  this 
may  give  the  clue  to  X13X3  XJV^D  (runn'D  written  first  erroneously). 
Comparing  the  Mandaic  text  in  39:  5,  XTX3X3  xnx^B’K’3  (XTDy),  the  equa- 
tion suggests  that  our  XD’S’D  = “chains”;  possibly  xnS’D  “basket,”  and 
here  used  of  a metal  cage. 

^X3n  13:  = “Son  of  destruction”?;  cf.  Din  33,  1.  11,  33  1.  13; 

these  deities  are  given  a parentage  like  bu'X,  1.  7.  Possibly  Din  is  Din, 
the  verb  used  in  the  Nerab  inscriptions,  and  so  = bx3n. 

11.  DTX^Epwf,  or  "Apw?—  D,313X:  cf.  7:  9. 

^xnnx : ^xnil  is  found  in  Schwab,  Vocabulaire.  Is  ^xnnx  “God’s 
cruel  one,”  meant? 

12.  The  accumulation  of  words  in  ros  is  a charm  formula;  see  p.  61. 

13.  XDX^ft  = m^3,  1.  5. — ’pyR  the  ’P’T  with  Mandaic  spelling. 

13T  13  jinx : found  also  in  34 : 8,  which  determines  the  reading  here. 

Ol  pnx  : the  plural  is  problematic,  as  there  is  but  one  client  to  this 
charm ; it  may  have  been  used  inadvertently,  ’’snn  is  not  Aramaic  in 
its  present  sense. 


200 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


14.  this  obscure  demon  appears  again  in  1.  16;  it  is  evidently 

the  listed  with  the  planets  in  Libzbarski’s  Mandaic  amulet  in  the  de 
Vogue  Florilegium,  1.  251. 

17.  cf.  the  Mandaic  DUX'^D,  name  of  an  angel,  Lidzbarski, 
Ephemeris,  i,  104,  n.  2. 

xnyr : Zeus,  = Syriac  TIT , in  Jacob  of  Sarug  (Martin,  ZDMG,  xxix, 
no,  1.  50),  otherwise  Sri  and  DIE 

xjd  = the  Mandaic  genius  Mana?  See  Norberg,  Onom.  96. 

jun  nu : the  family  or  school  of  some  magician  like  that  of  Joshua 
b.  Perahia,  see  p.  46. 

18.  DlJ’plN  = ‘sineavdg,  the  parent  deity  in  magical  theosophy  (cf.  Ea 
in  the  Babylonian)  ; see  index  of  Dieterich,  Abraxas.  The  preceding  name 
recalls  Protogonos  who  appears  with  Aeon  as  son  of  Kolpia  and  Baau  in 
Sanchuniathon’s  cosmic  genealogy,  Eusebius,  Pracp.  ev.,  i,  10. 

19.  : cf.  11  : 7.  rvcyxibo:  an  astrological  reference? 

rppm  nsTitt  ...  70 : the  same  phrase  in  Pognon  B,  except  that  the 
word  NDD’t,  “hair,”  appears  there. 


No.  20  (CBS  16023) 


me'::  \ nn  hid 

NDN'^l  tOXtobl  N'JNDDI  X1H1  KTCP  (3)  'O'nni  "TDK  NNNXNN  j H113  “nDDin  (2) 

Dl[20]  (5)  D3  HID  nn’DTl  IDKD’2  THDI  K^>K3  NTnn»T  (4)  [xnNtHjD 

k x x s n x 'S3  rr^n  n^D  jdk  jck  jdk  i»k  iwani  ^naa 

Translation 

Tardi  bath  Oni  (2)  Hormisdar  Tardi.  In  the  name  of  AAAAAA, 

exorcised  and  sealed  (3)  are  the  Demon  and  the  Devil  and  the  Satan  and 

the  Curse-spirit  and  the  evil  Liliths  (4)  which  appear  by  night  and  appear 
by  day,  and  appear  (to)  Tardi  bath  [Oni,  etc.].  (5)  In  the  name  of 
Gabriel,  Michael,  and  Rophiel.  Amen,  Amen,  Amen,  Amen,  Hallelia,  Selah. 
According  to  AAAAAA. 


Commentary 

A charm  against  ghosts.  The  interest  of  this  bowl  lies  in  the  figure 
decorating  the  center.  It  represents  a demon  with  arms  and  legs  manacled. 
On  either  side  of  the  figures  is  an  enclosed  space,  that  on  the  figure’s  right 
hand  bearing  the  inscription  N11DK,  that  on  its  left,  K1BH,  i.  e.  prohibition 
and  permission.  In  the  lower  part  of  the  body  on  the  former  side  is  in- 
scribed the  names  of  the  sorcerer’s  client.  The  pictures  thus  graphically 
presents  the  idea  that  the  demon  has  no  power  over  the  lady  in  question. 
The  picture  is  of  better  quality  than  the  inscription,  which  is  very  illiterate. 
The  spelling  is  most  careless. 

1 . The  connection  of  the  proper  names  is  uncertain,  as  also  the  char- 
acter of  the  names  themselves.  For  “HDD'in  I might  compare  the  Pahlavi 
Ormazdyar,  Justi,  p.  10a. 

2.  For  the  repeated  N,  see  p.  60. 

3.  probably  an  artificial  form;  cf.  tOTty,  tODD. 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


4.  N’tnn'O  has  Mandaic  fem.  pi.  ending. — In  the  first  X has  a 

point  over  it — to  mark  error?  cf.  the  Massoretic  Nikkudim. 

5.  : the  first  vowel  as  in  Enoch  and  in  Mandaic,  representing 
the  Hebrew  active  ppl.,  parallel  to  the  equivalent  Aramaic  form  in  Raphael. 

-ptjljn:  for  similar  perversions  see  24:  4,  31  : 8,  32 : 12;  cf.  in  the 

Paris  Magical  Papyrus,  1.  3032,  and  n’i?  in  a Jewish  charm,  JAOS, 
1911,  274. 


No.  21  (CBS  16054) 

nnn  n[n]nD\  D’nn  (1) 
nna  nil  nnsipD’xi 
pyjs  ba  jd  nnx 
pm[l  D ID  ’B”3 
Xn^aaD  [I]D1  pK”2  (2) 
PPTJ  JD1  KD’^  ID1 

nnn^  nJ>  panpn  xin 
nil  [nn£]ipD’xin 
D’nnn  nnx  na  (3) 
Dnnm  ppry  nn^nn 
ponn  nyat^a 
ID1  PB”3  pyja  ba  ID1 
Idi  [ptna]  (4)  pnn  ^a 

N*n^3DD 


ni’D  [DX  JDX 


Nos.  21,  22,  23 

No.  22  (CBS  16006) 

limn  Dnnoi  D’nn  (1) 
na  nnn  nnaipD’xi 
pyjs  S’D  id  nnx 
pnn  [>3  id  ptna 
xn^33D  idi  ptnn  (2) 
ppn  ^3di  idi 
nnn5>  n!>  panpn  x!n 
nn  (3)  nnaipD’N^ 
QTinn  nnx  dd 
Dnn]Di  ppny  nn^nu 
ponn  nyaeTa 
Idi  xn’^  pD  in  jd 
PPTJ  (4) 

nma!>  ni>  panpn  xh 
[n]nn  nnaipD’xin 
[nnx  ri3] 
[Idi]  ptna  pnn  in  idi 
hdv  jd  (5)  ptnn  ppn  in 
Q]!>yh  pn 
ni>D  id[x  idx 


No.  23  (CBS  16090) 

nnn  D[x]nnDi  a^nn  (l) 
nn  nn  anana^i 
pyja  in  id  nnx 
pnn  in  idi  p^n 
xninao  idi  ptna  (2) 

XpTDl  XpD  in  JD1  Xn’i^  IDI 

nnni>  ni>  panpn  xin 
nn  (3)  nnaipD’xio 
IDnnn  nnx  na 
annDi  ppry  nni>nn 
pDnn  nyat^a 
ppp  in  idi  xninaD 
PPTJD1  (4) 

nnni>  ni>  panpn  xin 
nn  nnaipD’xin 
nnx  na 


pin  IDX  IDX 


Translation  ot  No.  22 

Sealed  and  countersealed  are  the  house  and  threshold  of  Dodi  bath 
Ahath  from  all  evil  Plagues,  from  all  evil  Spirits,  (2)  and  from  the 
Tormentors,  and  from  the  Liliths,  and  from  all  Injurers,  that  ye  approach 
not  to  her,  to  the  house  and  threshold  of  (3)  Dodi  b.  A.,  which  is  sealed 
with  three  signets  and  countersealed  with  seven  seals  from  every  kind  of 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


Lilith  and  from  all  (4)  Injurers,  that  ye  approach  not  to  her,  to  the  house 
and  threshold  of  Dodi  [b.  A.],  and  from  all  evil  Spirits  and  from  all  evil 
Injurers,  (5)  from  this  day  and  forever.  Amen,  Amen,  Selah. 


Commentary 

Three  identical  bowls,  out  of  the  four  which  were  deposited  at  the 
corners  of  the  charmed  house;  see  § 8.  There  are  slight  variations  in  the 
inscriptions ; in  No.  22  the  writer  found  more  room  and  made  a longer 
inscription.  All  three  are  most  roughly  and  illegibly  written ; the  characters 
1,  T,  \ I are  indistinguishable,  and  a has  a peculiar  form.  The  word 
transliterated  p'1,  22 : 5,  is  written  in  a clumsy  Syriac  script. 

An  interesting  grammatical  peculiarity  is  the  omission  of  1 after  a 
genitive  with  the  personal  suffix.  This  appears  at  the  beginning  of  1.  3 in 
No.  22,  and  throughout,  in  the  same  combination,  in  the  other  two.  This 
might  be  taken  for  haplography  before  'in  ; but  the  same  phenomenon 
appears  in  the  Mandaic  bowls  published  below ; see  the  Introduction,  §56. 

For  the  injunction  in  1.  4 not  to  approach,  cf.  the  like  prohibition  in 
a late  Greek  charm  (Reitzenstein,  Poimandrcs , 294)  : rov  pi  aSinf/caL  % pla^ai 
f/  npooeyyioai , k.  r.  A.;  cf.  also  a Syriac  charm  of  Gollancz’s,  p.  93. 


No.  24  (CBS  2926) 

io  N’ctf  'cm3  ’Drum  (2)  Nns^no  nn  run^  n>  ’nn  n’dc  ;»  [nd]idn 

nn  ’pNp^  r6  ’pin  N’ot?  io  niyidn  p6nd  idn  ion (3)  njin  jo  nj-ptn  iei 

Ion  ion  ’jnodi  Nnni  '&w  ’o^n  nro  i’onnn  (4)  . . . xnsbno 
N’otr  'om:  'Drum  ns^no  . nn  typjpri’  (5)  niyidn  h^nd  idn 

rpnax  yu  n’pij rt^ND  ion  ion  ion  (6) *n  inon  nip  ’nxm 


Translation 

Salvation  from  Heaven  be  for  Hindu  bath  Mahlaphta,  (2)  that  she 
be  saved  by  the  love  of  Heaven  from  Fever  (?)  and  from  Sweating,  from 
( ?)  (3)  Amen,  Selah. 

Salvation  from  Heaven  be  for  Kaki  bath  Mahlaphta  (4)  that  there 
cease  from  her  disturbing  Dreams  and  the  evil  Spirit  and  evil  Satans. 
Amen,  Amen,  Selah,  Hallelui. 

Salvation  (5)  for  Zarinkas  bath  Mahlaphta,  that  she  be  saved  by  the 

love  of  Heaven,  to  wit  Zarinkas,  that  she  bring  to  the  birth  her  child 

Amen,  Amen,  Amen,  Selah 


Commentary 

A charm  for  three  daughters  of  a certain  woman,  made  out  in  their 
names  severally  and  for  specific  maladies.  The  misspellings  are  numerous. 

1.  run:  the  same  name  appears  in  40:  14;  it  is  hypocoristic  of  Nmnuri 
38 : 3,  i.  e.  “Indian  woman.” 

2.  NJYD’N  is  doubtless  fever,  in  neo-Syriac  = malarial  fever,  cf.  the 
general  name  for  fever  with  the  Jews,  NDK'N  (Preuss,  Bib.-talm.  Med.,,  184). 
and  n.  b.  the  disease  asu  in  Assyrian,  Kuchler,  Beitrdge,  131,  197.  For  the 
next  word  the  root  NIN  suggests  a sweating  disease.  NJlN  may  be  another 
kind  of  fever.  In  general  see  above,  p.  93  f. 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


3 . ’pSp:  also  in  Hyvernat’s  bowl.  The  name  occurs  as  that  of  an 
Egyptian  sorceress  in  a Syriac  biography  of  Rabban  Hormizd  (c.  600), 
cited  by  Budge  in  his  edition  of  The  Book  of  Governors,  i,  p.  clxiv.  Our 
word  is  probably  the  Syriac  kaka,  “pelican,”  while  the  Egyptian  name 
may  represent  kuk^  (for  a similar  adoption  of  this  Greek  word,  see  Payne 
Smith,  col.  3709). 

4.  For  the  “disturbing  dreams,”  see  p.  82. 

5.  Zarinkas:  cited  by  Justi,  p.  382. 


No.  25  (CBS  16009) 


pnmjnn  prpj'D  nn  rrnn’x  xth  nn  nnxbi  ’dxd  id  'nub  p'Dt?  id  xm[Dx] 
pn’Di  (2)  pmp'i  pnn  pnb  rnn  pnb  pmon  pnn  'd  H’d^h  'Dmn  ’lfm  nm 

-innniDi  D’p & nnx  dik’d  nnou  'bxi  imno’j  ’b’x  amp  id  pnnrm’x 

lDnin  xn  [pn]bm  pnun  b.  '(3)  in  nnvrnb  Dinb  n be>  dudxh  bn  by 

bx'Di'  (4)  oico  om  nnnn  by  mrr  nnx  inn  pn  pi yn  bm  'dim  Dm 

Din  m piDD’D  noD[nx]  . . nnot?  . . . m pi  mir*  bxuJDty  pb  np  bx’m  poty 
[bnb]  xmoxb  pdddh  n'nxbo  pj'x  nb’x  DDnnty  Dsnty  Dpbn  du'ID  (5)  pa’D 
[nj]nm  n'nrpxm  nj'jrpi  [n]rrn  pnnn  xniDxn  ppa'i  pn’  (6)  pj’x  xko’x  'p 
Idx  jdx  nby  b'bnbi  pi  xdp  id  ’dxd  id  'iiu  pnnb  (7)  rrn'nn  mj’x  bmi  nnjmi 

nnbbn  nbo 


Translation 


Salvation  from  Heaven  for  Guroi  bar  Tati  and  for  Ahath  bath  Doda 
his  wife,  that  there  vanish  from  them  in  their  dw[elling  the  Demons  and 
Devjils  by  the  mercy  of  Heaven.  Whoever  here  has  dead,  who  shall  become 
alive  to  them  here,  and  shall  approach  (2)  and  are  found  to  be  (actually) 
dead — from  these  you  are  kept  and  these  are  kept  (from  you).  In  the 

name:  Thou-  send  (to)  them,  Hadarbadu  bar  (3)  ..  the 

contentions  of  them  all.  Behold, Blessed  art  thou,  Yhwh  on  account 

of  the  name  of (4)  Yophiel  thy  name,  Yehiel  they  call  thee,  Sasangiel, 

Yhwh,  and  so names [Ar]masa  Metatron  Yah,  in  the  name 

of  Tigin,  Trigis,  Balbis,  Sabgas,  Sadrapas.  These  are  the  angels  who  bring 
salvation  to  all  the  children  of  men.  They  (6)  will  come  and  go  forth 
with  the  salvation  of  this  house  and  property  and  dwelling  of  his,  and  of 
his  sons  and  daughters  and  all  the  people  in  his  house — (7)  of  this  Guroi 
b.  T.  from  this  day  even  for  the  sphere  of  eternity.  Amen,  Amen,  Selah, 
Halleluia. 

Commentary 

The  inscription  is  of  interest  because  it  is  directed  against  the  appari- 
tion of  family  ghosts.  In  this  respect  it  is  to  be  compared  with  No.  39  and 
Wohlstein’s  bowl,  no.  2417;  see  above  p.  82. 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYRONIAN  SECTION. 


1 . 'm3 : identified  by  Justi,  p.  356,  as  a new-Persian  form  of  Waroe. 
The  Seder  ha-Doroth  lists  a number  of  Talmudic  persons  named  N'HJ  and 
jimJ  ( ii,  89)  ; also  a famous  Syriac  martyr  Gurias  is  recorded.  Apart 
from  the  Persian  hypocoristic  ending,  the  word  could  be  explained  from 
the  Semitic  ( NU13 , Syriac,  “whelp”).  Cf.  also  the  Palmyrene  SOU,  Tidz- 
barski,  Handbuch,  249. 

'OSD:  Tata  is  a feminine  name  found  in  Syriac,  in  Asseman’s  Biblio- 
theca Oriental  is  and  Wright’s  Catalogue  of  the  British  Museum;  see  Payne 
Smith,  col.  1456.  Cf.  snsn,  39:  8. 

2.  'S'X,  ,L,s , and  nS’S  1.  5:  the  Aramaic  pronoun  with  loss  of  I,  cf. 
similar  cases  cited  to  8 : 2, — if  not  a Hebraism. 

nnD'3,  imno'3:  Hebrew  Nifals  with  Aramaic  inflection. 

ninnS  DinS  nSt:’:  the  idea  apparently  is  that  a message  be  sent  to  the 
dead  to  cause  them  to  cease  their  contentions  (|in'3'-i)  with  the  living, 
then  one  of  these  departed  spirits  is  named.  The  name  is  not  recognizable 
as  a proper  name,  and  evidently,  as  in  Wohlstein’s  bowl,  referred  to  above, 
it  is  a fancy  name.  (There  we  have  such  names  as  Yodid,  Muth,  Dabti,  Ith .) 

4.  Sn'BI’  : One  of  the  six  angels  in  Targ.  Jer.  to  Dt.  34:  6,  along 
with  Metatron,  and,  in  Schwab,  Vocab.,  145,  a companion  of  M.  and  prince 
of  the  Taw.  '21'  is  a Talmudic  surrogate  for  mil',  see  Blau,  Zauberwesen, 

I3I- 

Sn'IT  or  Tsin' : cf.  hsin',  Schwab,  p.  141.  The  following  name  is  un- 
known. These  angels  are  invoked  as  phases  or  names  of  Deity ; cf.  p.  58. 

Hermes-Metatron : for  the  identification,  see  to  2 : 2 ; here  identified 
with  Yah. 

5.  These  magical  words  are  mystical  names  of  the  angels;  see  p.  97. 
They  are  dominated  by  sibilant  terminations  for  which  see  p.  60. 

n'3X?D:  Mandaic  plural  spelling. 

6.  ;irr  = pns'. 

7.  nSy  S'^3 : cf.  Syriac  xnx",  XJ3T  bj'H  also  of  a cycle. 


■m  t 


No.  26  (CBS  3997) 


nwa  nNi  (2)  iyo’  ””  ’2  byi  urn  ””  ’2  by  3pin  ””  u'nbN  ””  bN3B”  yosy 
“3  ””  iyr  itDon  in  (3)  ””  lyr  toon  bx  ””  ion’i  ntya  33  ””  ’2  by  noty  ”” 
Nnty’3  Knn  (4)  ’Djn  rrpnxi  m’DN  3in  tyNo  5>xid  tin  nr  xbn  D’^nn  3’nnn 
Nin..n  n3  i’onj2VN  Nini  ’qnq  33  rp3n’3’33b  pn^  irnmn  n>  Nna'pn  Nn’b’bi 
NH’y  b:i2  Nbi  nnytyi  nnyty  [02  xbi  32vi  cyon  b33  abi  nb’b3  Nbi  do’3  ab  (5) 

'Dry1  . . . N1  ’3313’n  3201  ’331D’21  ’3D’J  ’blptyi  PPPOPP  IQ  (6)  *y T pilb’N  N'3'Jt 
N’3’3  '313  D3D’N  3'313  (7)  p33,3  xb  31131  tirPtyj’b  pt3’3  }'3'ty  p3!333  NQ3 

Nito’tya  (8) 3cy.  p3'o  rvn2’2Ni n&y’N  n2T’3.n  'nty’N  ab 

’.313  D’ilP’N  N sb  . . . . NQV3  3 n’JlDtyi  Pnbf’H  D1’3  nrrni 


Translation 

“Hear,  Israel : YYYY  our  God  is  one  YYYY.”  “According  to  the 
mouth  of  YYYY  they  encamped,  and  according  to  the  mouth  of  YYYY 
they  marched  (2).  The  observance  of  YYYY  they  observed  according 
to  the  word  of  Yhwh  through  Moses.”  “And  YYYY  said  to  Satan: 
YYYY  rebuke  (3)  thee,  Satan,  YYYY  rebuke  thee,  who  chose  Jerusalem. 
Is  not  this  a brand  plucked  from  the  fire?” 

Again,  bound  and  held  art  thou,  (4)  evil  Spirit,  and  mighty  Lilith, 
that  thou  appear  not  to  Berik-Yahbeh  bar  Maine  and  this  Ispandarmed  bath 
H.  . dora,  (5)  neither  by  day  nor  by  night,  nor  at  any  evening  or  morning, 
nor  at  any  time  whatsoever,  nor  at  any  seasons  whatsoever.  But  flee  (6) 
from  their  presence  and  take  thy  divorce  and  thy  separation  and  thy  writ 
of  dismissal.  [I  have  divorced]  thee,  [even  as  demons  write]  divorces  for 
their  wives  and  return  not  (to  them).  (7,  8)  

Commentary 

This  charm,  against  the  evil  Lilith,  is  introduced  by  three  quotations 
from  the  Scriptures.  The  first  is  the  opening  sentence  of  the  Shema,  which 
still  remains  the  contents  of  the  Mezuzoth,  or  house  phylacteries  of  the 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


Jews.  The  other  two  have  occurred  in  previous  texts ; see  5 : 5.  Unfortun- 
ately the  last  two  lines  are  too  broken  and  obscure  to  be  read.  I have 
merely  reproduced  here  the  evident  characters.  In  the  segments  of  the 
circle  at  the  bottom  of  the  bowl  appear  words,  some  of  which  are  forms 
of  the  divine  Names  n\  irr,  nx\S;  also  Yib'X  (?)  and  in\s"  ( ?) 

1.  ,v’1:  for  mrr.  Cf.  the  common  scribal  abbreviation,  Vl  or ,v’;  also  such 
forms  as  TV  and  Ui,  in  Schwab  O. 

nco  *n:  for  TO,  as  in  No.  5. 

3.  3in:  cf.  2:  1. 

4.  rrarTona:  there  is  no  doubt  as  to  the  reading  of  this  name  and 
it  is  remarkable  enough.  The  second  and  divine  component  of  the  name — 
which  was  an  ordinary  [iT]3“i3,  [rr]3ra,  or  [rp]3na,  has  been  expanded 
so  as  to  give  the  awful  pronunciation  of  the  Ineffable  Name.  We  cannot 
suppose  that  the  name  was  thus  ordinarily  spelt  or  pronounced,  but  the 
scribe  has  taken  it  upon  himself  to  give  this  interpretation  ( DTPS  ) of  his 
client’s  name.  Here  then  is  a clear  survival  of  the  ancient  magical  significa- 
tion and  use  of  the  personal  name  (cf.  Heitmuller,  “Ini  Namen  Jesu,”  159 
ft'.),  as  also  of  the  pronunciation  of  the  name  itself.  It  may  be  retorted 
that  m — would  hardly  be  used  to  represent  e,  and  that  the  original  pro- 
nunciation was  Yahwe,  not — c (see  Arnold’s  valuable  discussion,  JBL, 
xxiv,  152).  The  latter  thesis  is  right,  but  I think  that  the  tradition  repre- 
sented here  connects  with  the  Hellenistic  magic,  in  which,  among  various 
forms,  i«*  occurs  several  times  (Deissmann,  Bibelstudien,  7),1  although  I 
have  not  found  a case  of  1 aj3v.  Further,  in  the  Talmud  (Sank.  56a)  nDV 
appears  as  a surrogate  for  the  Name,  which  Dietrich,  ZATIV,  iv,  27, 
would  vocalize  as  Yose.  Blau  ( Zauberzvescn , 131)  objects  to  e,  but  adduces 
from  the  Mishna,  Siikk.  45a,  the  surrogate  ’SY  which  he  identifies  with  the 
Greek  magical  term  (citing  Paris  Pap.  11.  1896,  2746).  This  would 
be  further  proof  for  v in  the  current  magical  pronunciation.  As  for  rp- 
= -e,  we  have  not  only  the  masc.  pron.  suffix  for  a parallel  but  also  the 
plural  -e  represented  in  the  same  way  in  some  of  our  texts,  e.  g.  9:  6,  12:  1, 
25:  5,  and  also  the  proper  name  rvnn  31:  2. 

1 Also  on  an  Abraxas  gem,  see  Diet,  de  I’archeologie  chretienne,  i,  141. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


211 


I can  find  no  other  interpretation  of  this  unique  name-form.  A note 
upon  it  was  published  in  the  Museum  Journal  of  the  University,  1910  no.  2, 
which  called  forth  some  private  criticisms  from  scholars  (along  with 
assents),  but  no  better  explanation  has  been  offered.  (Is  there  a 
possible  explanation  in  the  nun'  noticed  to  7:  8?).  In  the  first  amulet  in 
my  paper  “Some  Early  Amulets  from  Palestine,”  JAOS,  1911,  272,  line 
16,  nun'  is  apparently  to  be  read  for  the  divine  Name,  a proof  of  western 
connections  for  the  present  form. 

TDVTJByN:  cf.  Glossary  B for  other  forms.  The  name  occurs  in  Ellis 
1,  where  it  was  first  recognized  by  Levy,  ZDMG,  ix,  470,  486,  its  correct 
interpretation  (as  Spenta-Armaita,  a daughter  of  Ahuramazda)  being  given 
by  G.  Hoffmann,  “Auszuge  aus  syrischen  Acten,”  Abhandlungen  f.  d.Kundc 
d.  Morgenlandes,  1880,  128;  see  also  Justi,  p.  308.  For  the  mother’s  name 
Prof.  Kent  suggests  to  me  comparison  with  ‘E puddupoc,  see  Fick,  Griech. 
Personennamcn,  112. 

8.  tOD'KU:  cf.  2:  5. 


No.  27  (CBS  16041) 


-pinra  "12  (3)  nNTt’  njn  n:6’tn  ’omn  Nnn  N’dn  (2)  nnNiDN  no  wo 
soi  snm  ’non  r6in  N^nan  ’napnp  Ninnan  (4)  xnvno  ’noipn  ’tyann  ’Vra 
PI’jnN  NynNl  N’OtT  XP3H  IN02  NJ’^m  N^OI  SOI  NDOPN1  Ntyinj>  (5)  NJK'OPI 
no  pn’tnn  oyn’o  cnp  prA  nnoN  nno  ’nnn^’ynni  ’inn  ’NJDn  pm  (6)  non 
om  poS  NJO’tra  nipt m .pob  no’so  Nntyp  n -pnjnt’N  nn  nsm’  njn  ’no  ( 7 ) 
Non  sar'NO  po^>  njso’n  no  no  no  pm’o  nin  nin  nno  no  (8)  pmon  ayro 
injnt’N  nn  PNnt’T’  njn  nno  (9)  pmon  ny-po  nin  Njon  imi’jn  NDty’Nni 
NJ’jn  jnn’>  byi  Nmo  pon’n  hv  NimnNn  NnonnNi  snro  Nnoty  po’^y  sonno 
non  io”h  NnNO’o  mm  nj^’In  'in  crnn’oSn  ho’o  nmoy  j>yi  (10)  nno  ^yi 
NnN’^An  ’inn  noo  (11)  pnn  non  minx  inni’N  nn  nNmp  non  nnNonn 
. . . nano  nano  nno  nno  po’P  nn  nnNnpo  nnNnnD’Nn  nno  nnnan  NnNtyo 

pm  by 


Commentary 

After  the  introductory  appeal,  “In  thy  name,  O Lord  of  salvations,” 
etc.,  the  inscription  for  lines  2b- n is  practically  identical  with  No.  2.  This 
portion  does  not  need  translation  and  commentary.  The  remaining  lines, 
13-24,  are  so  mutilated  or  obscure,  that  I can  make  out  but  few  connected 
passages  in  them,  and  hence  I do  not  present  them. 

There  are  a few  slight  differences  between  the  parallel  texts,  this  one 
being  probably  more  correct.  The  most  considerable  variation  in  text  is 
in  1.  9,  where  the  sorcerer  says  that  he  laid  the  ban  upon  Hermon;  cf.  my 
note  to  2:  6.  The  same  Yezidad  bar  Izdanduch  and  his  wife  Merduch 
bath  Banai,  appear  in  No.  7.  There  they  are  the  subjects  of  the  charm, 
here  Yezidad  operates  magic  in  his  own  name.  Cf.  the  mutual  character 
of  the  charm  in  No.  2.  In  1.  8 the  wife  also  takes  up  the  exorcism. 


(212) 


No.  28  (CBS  2972) 

jirntHn  'i3is  oo  p . . pukp  rpasp^  kdo  jcto  nyoxi  no  Tot^a 
. . . bv  x^x  ityuorpx  xi>  X!oi>y  pox  itxoj  no  nnx  ono  (2)  oonroi 

xtynm  my  npp  xnxrmnxi  p-in  pool  (3) pH  rvo^o  xymx  pm  n^popp 

x\p  (4) o ^y  pjnDPDp  xnom  mi  [i] ino' nbb  xmiji  j^od 

[L  no]  nnx  ono  oontHjn  jnwop  py  moa  no  [. . mix]  pxnn  bv  iwdyibvi 

xoto’pi  n'o'i>  pd  ppds  ^ ....  (5) p imo  xnonp  moi  nxmt?  hi 

Pop  pnnpo  h^x xntny  no^pp  notyoi  nox^a  ^'onpp  n’totpo  nopon 

pox  pox  pni’io 

Translation 

In  thy  name,  O Lord  of  heaven  and  earth.  Appointed  is  this  bowl  to 
the  account  of  Anur  . . . bar  Parkoi,  that  he  be  inflamed  and  kindled  and 
burn  (2)  after  Ahath  bath  Nebazak.  Amen. 

Everlasting  presses  which  have  only  been  pressed  upon  (?)  a 

man  in  his  heart.  (3)  Take  hrk,  and  hot  herbs  ( ?)  which  they  call  sunwort 

(?),  mtlln  and  peppers  them  and  the  rites  of  love  which  thou  (?) 

hast  sprinkled  upon (4)  She  shall  sprinkle  them  upon  this  Anur  . . . 

b.  P.  until  that  he  be  inflamed  and  burn  after  Ahath  b.  N 

and  in  lust  and  in  the  mysteries  of  love,  in  order  that  (5)  

take  pieces  from  his  heart  and  the  charm  his  name  (?).  In  the 

name  of  the  angel  Rahmiel  and  in  the  name  of  Dlibat  the  passionate, 

the  gods,  the  lords  of  all  the  mysteries.  Amen,  Amen, 

Commentary 

A love-charm — such  is  the  import  of  this  sadly  mutilated  but  inter- 
esting bowl.  It  belongs  to  the  same  class  of  magic  as  No.  13,  but  is  more 
romantic,  for  there  we  find  a charm  for  a childless,  neglected  wife,  here 
one  for  a passionate  woman  to  bring  her  lover  to  her  side.  For  the  use 
of  a bowl  for  such  a dcfixio  see  above  p.  44.  The  first  copyist  was  able  to 


(213) 


214 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


read  more  than  I can  now,  as,  since  it  was  in  his  hands,  the  bowl  has  been 
cracked  and  then  repaired.  The  lacunae  in  the  text  are  tantalizing. 

So  far  as  the  text  is  legible,  the  charm  which  names  the  two  parties 

adjures  the  passion  of  the  beloved.  Some  praxis  is  described,  a simula- 
crum is  evidently  used,  for  “his  heart  is  to  be  torn  in  pieces,”  and  on  this 

image  is  to  be  scattered  some  kind  of  salad  of  hot  herbs  expressive  of 
love’s  passion,  while  the  beloved’s  name  is  to  be  formally  pronounced. 

Blau  has  collected  the  Talmudic  material  on  philtres  in  his  Zauber- 
wesen,  24,  52,  158,  167;  n.  b.  the  recitation  of  Bible  verses  over  the  love- 
apple,  p.  52,  n.  2 (with  literature).  In  the  Old  Testament  we  have  mere 
references  to  this  aphrodisiac  {Gen.  30:  14  fif.,  Cant.  7:  14)  without  any 
note  as  to  magical  manipulation.  For  later  Jewish  use,  see  the  numerous 
philtres  prescribed  in  Thompson,  “Folk  Lore  of  Mossoul,”  PSBA,  1906-7. 

But  it  is  from  the  classical  and  Hellenistic  field  that  we  have  most 
knowledge  of  this  amatory  magic,  and  the  connections  of  the  present  text 
are  found  in  that  direction.  Of  course  Theocritus’s  second  Idyll  comes 
to  mind,  in  which  the  love-lorn  maiden  casts  the  various  philtres  into  the 
fire  with  adjurations  of  Hecate.  For  this  classical  field  I may  refer  to  the 
monograph  of  O.  Hirschfeld,  Dc  incantamentis  et  devinctionibus  amatoriis 
apud  Graccos  Romanosque  (Ratisbon,  1863)  ; see  p.  42  for  aphrodisiac 
herbs;  also  see  section  8 (p.  233)  of  Abt,  Die  Apologie  des  Apuleius. 

In  the  magical  papyri  numerous  erotic  incantations  are  preserved,  e.  g. 
in  the  Paris  Papyrus  in  Wessely,  Vienna  Denkschriften  hist.-phil.  Class, 
xxxvi,  1.  2622  fifi,  xli,  p.  52,  1.  976  ff.1  But  the  most  graceful  and  famous 
of  these  charms  is  that  inscribed  on  a lead  plate  found  at  Hadrumetum, 
N.  Africa, — buried  in  a necropolis,  just  as  our  bowl  was  buried  in  the 
earth.  First  edited  by  Maspero,  it  has  been  since  frequently  published : 
Wiinsch,  CIA,  App.  continens  defixionmn  tabellas,  p.  xvii ; Audollent,  Defix- 
ionum  tabellae,  no.  271 ; Deissmann,  Bibelstudien,  21,  and  Bible  Studies , 
271 ; Blau,  op.  cit.  96;  Wiinsch,  Ant.  Fluchtafeln,  no.  5.  It  is  Blau’s  merit 
to  have  specially  pointed  out  the  Jewish  connection  of  this  text.  Now, 
between  this  Hellenistic  charm  and  our  bowl  we  find  an  almost  literal 

1 I may  add  now  F.  Boll,  “Griechiseher  Liebeszauber  aus  Aegypten  auf  zwei 
Bleitafeln,”  in  Sitzungsberichte  of  the  Heidelberg  Academy,  phil.-hist.  Class,  1910, 


no.  2. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


215 


correspondence  in  the  trinity  of  terms  for  the  passion  adjured  in  the  lover. 
With  our  invocation  that  the  man  “be  enflamed  and  kindled  and  burn 
after’’  the  girl,  compare  the  longing  of  the  Greek  maiden  Domitiana  that 
her  lover  com Q kpuvra  paivSpevov  (Saaavi(,6pevov ( or  epavra  jj.aiv6fj.evov  l3aaavt£6pevov  or 
kp.  (lac.  aypvtrvovvra  — repetitions  like  those  in  our  texts.  With  this  probably 
technical  formula  compare  the  second  of  the  charms  cited  above  by  Wes- 
sely  : May  X do  naught  until  eMovoa  Trpoc;  pe  tov  Selva  n\ripo<popovoa  ayairuaa  orepyovoa 
epe,  k.  t.  A.  Also  in  our  1.  4 there  is  an  echo  of  Domitiana’s  wish  that  he 
come  ev  Tp  ml  epu-t  mi  em&vpia,  while  the  formula  “to  the  name,”  1.  1, 
and  the  use  of  “heart,”  1.  2,  indicate  Greek  connections. 

How  much  Jewish,  how  much  Grecian,  the  Hadrumetum  tablet  is,  it 
is  difficult  to  determine.  Our  text  shows  manifest  ties  with  the  love-magic 
of  the  Hellenistic  world  and  is  the  eastern  representative  of  the  philtres 
of  which  the  North  African  text  is  the  most  notable  western  example.  The 
spirit  of  both  these  texts  is  Greek  rather  than  Semitic ; but  the  fame  of 
Jewish  magic  appears  to  have  made  its  solemn  formulas  eligible  for  the 
desires  of  passion.  Our  text,  it  is  to  be  noticed,  is  not  at  all  Jewish  in 
religion,  is  of  more  simple  original  type  than  the  African  charm. 

For  the  praxis  of  our  text  I may  compare  a Moorish  love- 
charm  cited  by  Doutte,  Magie  et  religion  dans  I’Afrique  du  Nord, 
Algiers,  1908,  p.  253 : “A  woman  who  wishes  to  gain  the  love 
of  a man  should  procure  the  following  materials  from  neighbors 
with  whom  she  has  never  eaten : coriander,  caraway,  gum  of  terebinth,  lime, 
cummin,  verdegris,  myrrh,  some  blood  of  an  animal  whose  throat  has  been 
cut,  and  a piece  of  a broom  hailing  from  a cemetery.  On  a dark  night  she 
is  to  go  into  the  country  with  a lighted  brazier  and  throw  these  different 
articles  one  after  another  into  the  fire  speaking  these  words:  O coriander, 
bring  him  mad ! O caraway,  bring  him  wandering  without  success ! O 
mastic,  raise  in  his  heart  anguish  and  tears ! O white  lime,"  make  his  heart 
wakeful  in  disquietude!  O cummin,  bring  him  possessed!  O verdegris, 
kindle  the  fire  of  his  heart!  O myrrh,  make  him  spend  a frightful  night! 
O blood  of  the  victim,  lead  him  panting!  O cemetery  broom,  bring  him  to 
my  side.”  Etc. 

1.  = ek  to  ovopa,  and  see  Heitmiiller,  “Im  Namen  Jesu 95  ff., 

and  his  definition  of  the  phrase  as  indicating  “die  Zueignung  an  eine  Person 


216 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


unter  irgend  welchem  Gebrauch  ihres  Namens”  (p.  107,  and  at  length,  pp. 
100-110).  As  he  shows,  the  usage  before  us  is  not  Semitic  or  even 
Septuagintal.  Cf.  also  Bohmer,  Das  biblische  “Im  Namen 4. 

7..-1UX,  ? 

2.  ’BG3:  I translate  the  words  without  any  certain  sense.  For 
the  noun  O see  to  7:  1.  If  ND7X  might  be  read,  the  reference  could  be  to 
a moulded  (tjoa,  “press”)  figure  representing  the  lover.  Below  in  1.  4 
the  space  before  the  man’s  name  may  have  contained  “image  of,”  or  the 
like.  The  latter  part  of  the  line  is  most  obscure.  The  “heart”  (also  1.  5) 
appears  as  the  seat  of  sexual  affection.  This  is  a Greek  usage,  not  Semitic 
(with  the  possible  exception  of  the  Hebrew  phrase  iff  by  "121,  used  five 
times  with  a woman  as  the  object).  See  Andry,  Le  coeur,  5,  for  the 
Greek  idea  of  the  heart  as  the  amatory  organ,  p.  15  ff.,  for  the  late  Semitic 
use.  P.  17  he  quotes  a Spanish  Arabic  poet  who  speaks  gallantly  of  being 
wounded  to  the  heart,  but  the  metaphor  is  that  of  a mortal  wound.2 

3.  I translate  the  ppl.  pnDl,  as  also  ppDD  1.  5,  as  imperatives;  cf. 
Rabbinic  and  Syriac  usage. 

01  pin:  to  this  list  of  aphrodisiacs  the  clue  is  given  by  (tu- 

= pi.  ending,  as  in  Mandaic),  which  is  the  piper  Candidas  (Payne  Smith, 
col.  2303) ; its  pungency  was  evidently  regarded  as  possessing  erotic  power 
and  symbolism.  Then  Tin,  if  the  reading  be  correct,  and  WPJnriN  are  to  be 
explained  in  the  same  way  from  their  roots,  Tin,  mn,  “burn."  'JJy 

doubtless  lies  in  the  same  circle  of  ideas.  May  be  mushrooms? 

Loew’s  Aramaische  Pflanzcnnamcn  does  not  contain  these  words.  The 
“rites  of  love”  are  the  magical  practices. 

4.  nxn'ty:  I compare  Syriac  Nnumcy  ( sub  me),  “boldness,  lascivious- 
ness”; the  ending  a a for  ay  a? 

5.  mmb  po  ppDS  : 'B  a noun,  or  better  a ppl.  like  P3D3,  1.  3.  The 
phrase  is  simplest  interpreted  as  a reference  to  the  lady’s  slowly  tearing  to 
pieces  the  facsimile  of  her  lover’s  heart,  with  the  intent  that  he  perish  of 
love;  cf.  again  Theocritus’s  second  Idyll. 

2 Cf.  the  phrase  quoted  in  Lane’s  Dictionary,  782:  “she  has  overturned  my  heart 
and  torn  my  midriff.’’ 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


217 


■TOian:  the  lover’s  name  is  to  be  pronounced.  For  the  angel  Rahmiel 
see  to  No.  13. 

rQ,b“t  : one  of  the  Mandaic  forms  of  Dilbat,  a name  of  the  Babylonian 
Ishtar,  especially  in  her  stellar  capacity  as  Venus.  For  the  Mandaic  forms, 
see  Brandt,  Maud.  Schr.,  45,  85;  also  in  Flesychius  as  Ac and  in  Bar 
Bahlul  as  robT3  For  this  form,  see  Noldeke,,  Maud.  Grant.  § 25.  For  the 
Babylonian  use  see  Jensen,  Kosmologie,  18,  and  the  latest  discussion  by 
Jastrow,  ZA,  1908,  155.  As  the  goddess  of  love  her  patronage  is  appro- 
priate. The  epithet  KDPTy  (cf.  38:  7)  recalls  the  Babylonian  ezzu,  a 
frequent  epithet  of  gods,  while  Ishtar  especially  appears  as  the  raging 
goddess,  whether  of  war,  in  Assyria,  or  of  love,  in  the  Izdubhar  epic.  The 
same  epithet  became  the  old  Arabian  name  of  the  morning-star,  al-‘uzza, 
(Wellhausen  Skizzen,  ill,  41,  Noldeke,  ZDMG,  xli,  710,  the  identification 
denied  by  W.  R.  Smith,  Rel.  Sem.,  57).  The  Edessene  Wy  was  originally 
the  morning-star,  Lagrange,  Etudes / 135;  cf.  the  Aramaic  names  NfjnntPy 
and  tymnet  (Lidzbarski,  Handbuch,  34 7 f.). 


* So  also  to  be  explained  in  Schwab,  Vocab.,  403. 


No.  29  (CBS  16055) 


rpvi  ppm  jjpxz  nz  (3)  [troxna ] xrnox^  nixzx  pipp  (2)  

[tnxz  nz  ty’jxno^  (5)  D'nm ’ypz  . zx  > vvp  p:t?3  pyD  zcnz  (4)  rr\z 

lo  nn’z  jo  nzz  jo  nro  (6)  pz'vi  jtyxz  nz  mzxnD^  mxzv  mnn  n’oy’z  nyop 

nnpjyi  pn^zi  (7)  xn[&y]’z  xm^i  p.mz  p-nn  pmz  pyjz  nTz  nmn 

t£”z  ny-po  (8)  [pz’^y]  xjyztyo  x^D’j  zzi  ’oiot  xzzz  xn;zi  xn^zzoi  Knap 

pn  NznoDsr  ’nzz  ’tnni  xtc?  pmcr  zz  ’xz^nz  z’nzzzi  n’n’zz  nc? 

pmz  ppnoi  ppn  ^zi  ’^d  ’jz  h’bz  xztzi  xz.d  ''?'ib  y;z  yanx  d:dzz  xnp. . . (9) 
xjo’Poi  xrpji  xjo’pm  xjyzz’ci  xj’oio  pzw  xjzz[z  (10)  xim  iijrrot?  x:zzzz 

xn^x  z’zx  ztrx  rrnx  (ll)  p rz  rp  pp  rz  ro  rtr  ppz  io  zvzku  pz’by 

Z’cinn  D’pny’b  ’pzsr  ’z  jpno  z’czizz  xmox  ^z  no  xni’x  xm  vztr  nxivo  xzz 
xzz’j  xzz  xz!\x  xin  nnziyh  n,noo,n!’i  z’zztrmh  ziz’z  (12) b Ipno 

Translation 

[This  bowl  is  appointed  in  the  name  of?]  (2)  Yhwh  Sebaoth  for  the 

salvation  [and  sealing?  of  Metanis]  (3)  bath  Resan (4)  and 

sealed  (5)  for  Metanis  b.  R., — an  amulet  in  the  name  of  Yhwh  Sebaoth 
for  Metanis  b.  R.  And  bound  (6)  from  her,  from  her  children,  from  her 
house,  from  all  her  dwelling,  are  the  evil  Plagues  and  evil  Demons  and  the 
evil  and  the  decent  Lilith  and  the  Necklace-spirits  and  . . . Menstruation 
and  Tormentors  and  the  Hags  of  the  wild  and  Impurities  and  Epilepsy  (?). 

We  adjure  you  (8)  whatsoever  evil  thing  lodges  in  the  house  and 
dwelling  of  Haliphai  bar  Sissin  . . . and  Darsi  the  foreigner  and  Astroba 

(9)  Leprosy,  Plague,  Stroke,  the  kindly  and  . . . Lib.  and  the 

Demons,  ghostly  Shades,  and  all  Goblins  and  evil  Injurers  whose  names 
I have  mentioned  and  whose  names  [I  have  not]  (10)  mentioned:  I exorcise 
and  adjure  and  make  fast  and  bind  and  make  fast  (sic)  upon  you,  in  the 

name  of  MW,  of  KS,  SS,  MS,  BS,  KS,  KS,  BS (11)  I-am-that-I-am, 

the  great  God,  Mesoah  his  name.  He  is  God,  the  Lord  of  all  Salvation, 
whose  throne  is  established  between  the  ethers  and  his  eternity  (world?) 


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219 


is  established  for (12)  in  Yhwh  and  for  his  praise  and  the  faith 

in  him  and  his  service.  He  is  the  great,  the  mighty  God. 

Commentary 

A charm  made  out  for  two  different  parties,  (1)  a woman  Metanis 
and  her  household,  and  (2)  for  several  men  and  their  house  and  quarters. 
These  may  be  lodgers  in  the  woman’s  house.  One  of  the  men  is  a 
“foreigner.”  The  tone  of  piety  in  the  charm  is  superior  to  that  of  the 
other  texts;  the  incantation  is  in  the  name  of  Yhwh  Sebaoth  alone,  whose 
praises  are  dwelt  upon  in  almost  liturgical  fashion. 

1 . The  charm  appears  to  have  a double  introduction.  Most  of  11.  3,  4 
is  unintelligible. 

5.  tP’JKno:? — p’Nl:  possibly  the  father’s  name,  Syriac  iO^so,  “prince.” 
One  is  tempted  to  compare  the  name  of  the  famous  Roxane;  the  masc. 
parallel  Roxanes  = Persian  Rosan,  Justi,  p.  262.  But  the  6 should  be 
indicated. 

6.  nVK’Dl  '2  6:  see  above,  p.  76.  O may  be  euphemistic  and  then  have 
developed  into  a distinct  species.  Cf.  the  epithet  N2ND  in  1.  9. 

7.  NDS’D:  Syriac  kepsd. — {021  Nn32:  cf.  17:  3. — 'DID:  Syriac  N721ND. 

nSb’J  22 : one  might  think,  in  the  context,  of  abortion.  But  in  the 

Talmud  D’b’BJ  |2  is  a demon  of  nervous  trouble  or  epilepsy,  Bckor.  44b; 
see  Griinbaum  ZDMG,  xxxi,  332  for  some  discussion  of  the  word.  Epilepsy 
was  a most  common  disease  in  antiquity;  n.  b.  the  miracles  in  the  New 
Testament,  and  for  the  Hellenic  world  cf.  Tambornino,  Dc  antiquorum 
daemonismo,  57:  often  equivalent  to  insanity.  It  has  been  generally  sup- 
posed that  the  Jews  were  particularly  subject  to  this  disease;  M.  Fishberg 
in  The  Jews,  London  and  New  York,  1911,  denies  this,  but  admits  the 
nervous  pathology  of  the  race  (chap.  xv).  Cf.  16:  8 for  another  disease 
cited  in  Bekor.  44. 

8.  rrrm : alongside  of  'T1,  1.  6;  the  form  appears  in  the  Syriac  and 
Mandaic  bowls. 

= Palmyrene  ; for  signification,  cf.  Nns^riE. 

: cf.  the  Persian  ( ?)  names  Sisines,  Sisinnios,  Sisoi,  Justi,  p. 
303;  on  the  etymology  of  Sisines  see  Noldeke,  Pers.  Studien,  404,  no.  1. 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


Cf.  the  Jewish  names  N£’,C’  and  NIC'C’,  Seder  ha-Doroth,  ii,  348  f.  Also  in 
Pognon  B (where  pEW)  it  is  the  name  of  the  parent — mother  or  father?  Is 
NTB>  an  additional  name?  Of  ’Bn  we  learn  only  that  he  is  a foreigner. 
Also  N3nt2DN  is  evidently  a Greek  name. 

9.  yjll'N : the  demon  offspring  of  Adam  are  called  DIN  '33  in  the 
Zohar,  Eisenmenger,  ii,  422. 

DiDin  : for  this  formation,  see  Levias,  Grammar  of  the  Aramaic  Idiom 
. . . in  the  Bah.  Talmud,  § 975.  For  similar  eruptive  diseases  named  in 
these  texts,  see  p.  93. 

nS'd  ud:  epithet  of  the  goblins;  Rabb.  N^io  , Syr.  telld,  “shadow.” 
Cf.  the  T arg.  Cant.  3 : 8,  etc. 

The  lacuna  at  end  of  the  line  is  supplied  by  help  of  14:  6. 

10.  For  the  dominance  of  sibilants  in  these  magical  words  cf.  p.  60. 
At  the  begining  and  end  of  the  series  are  characters  enclosed  in  square 
lines. 

11.  '2:  for  pn,  as  also  in  the  Talmud.  There  follows  a lapse  into 
Hebrew — probably  a citation. 

D’priB' : one  of  the  seven  heavens  of  Kabbalism. 

12.  rvTQB'in  : for  rrnnnnn  ? 

mmy  : it  is  strange  to  find  this  word  of  magical  connotation  used  of 
true  worship  in  a Jewish  text. 


No.  30  (CBS  16096) 

vdyijs’D'x  (2)  *12  »ms  “D  kt'se^k  K3i  ”pi  xrp2  Dnxnoi  D'nm  pdx 

JO  (3)  KY21  K1B>  to  KJOKD  JO  K1H  JO  KD’21  B”DKB>  JO  'TOOD’D  n [2]  . . mi 
ktqpjki  K12H  xrp^  nil  to  kjvjtt  kpqip  jo  pru  pnn  to  xm’pj  xrpb’b 
ii'Ti  iki  Kti  K2’!>  n’2  «iK  nm  xry  KnoiDsn  ktj?  xn2pj  (4)  kidh  xjxj’y 
pr’2  pnn  to  Ki[n]o  xjnn  to  k^d  (5)  m to  Knur  kpo  kip  pm  irn 

n&ypxnx  2^2  nnuiKt  kid  kip  to 

Translation 

Bound  and  sealed  are  the  house  and  the  life  of  this  Ispiza  bar  Arha, 
and  Yandundisnat  bar  (2)  Ispandarmed,  and  . . . bath  Simkoi,  from  the 
Sun  and  Heat,  from  the  Devil,  the  Satan,  the  male  Demon  (3)  the  female 
Lilith,  evil  Spirits,  the  impious  Amulet-spirit,  the  lilith-Spirit  male  or 
female;  the  Eye  of  man  (or)  (4)  woman;  the  Eye  of  contumely;  the  Eye 
which  looks  right  into  the  heart ; the  mystery  which  belongs  to  the  evil 
Potency,  that  impious  lord;  from  the  evil  hateful  Potency;  from  disturb- 
ing Vision ; from  evil  Spirits ; from  that  impious  Lord,  in  the  name  of 


Commentary 

A charm  for  two  men  and  a woman  from  certain  specified  diseases 
and  demons.  The  inscription  is  illiterate  and  the  script  particularly 
difficult,  the  writer  using  a very  individual  chirography;  n.  b.  the  D, 
the  non-distinction  of  1 and  P , the  K which  often  consists  of  but  two 
upright  strokes,  and  the  use  of  one  form  for  internal  and  finial  3 except 
in  the  word  JD,  where  a finial  is  used. 

I.  TDK  : for  TDK . 

KPac^’K : cf.  the  Syriac  fscrx  (Aspaz)  for  the  Hebrew  T32tTX  in  Dan. 
1:  3.  ( T32DK  occurs  in  Myhrman,  1.  1,  to  which  I cite  the  Babylonian 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


Aspazanda.).  The  Persian  XI3CX  is  “house,”  and  X'srst^X  “steward.” 

May  it  be  an  abbreviated  form  of  the  latter  word?1 

xmx  : cf.  the  biblical  Arah,  a post-exilic  name. 

: so  the  most  likely  reading  of  the  name. 

2.  '13C'D : the  characters  are  uncertain.  Cf.  lei/ieiKog  in  a Greek 
inscription  from  the  Don,  = Persian  simikos,  “silver” ; Justi,  p.  294. 

NO,3l  : the  first  word  is  the  Mandaic  spelling  for  “the  Sun,” 

which  also  in  the  Mandaic  religion  is  regarded  as  an  evil  genius.  xtm  = 

xtNp , see  Noldeke,  Aland.  Gram.,  § 42.  Cf.  Ps.  121 : 6,  91:  6,  and  see 

Griinbaum’s  discussion  of  the  ’"Vno  sup,  the  demon  of  the  midday  sun, 
ZDMG,  xxxi,  251  f. 

xtd*i:  an  error  for  xmn  (cf.  1.  3),  or  intended  for  assonance  with 
xnzrpl.  Cf.  the  unabashed  spellings  in  Samaritan  literature  to  produce 
rhymes.  Or  is  there  a play  on  the  roots,  mi  and  3p3  being  used  in  the 
sense  of  “name”? — i.  e.  the  named  spirits. 

3.  xmW  nn:  cf.  N.  T.  nv evua  6ai/iovoc. 

XJXry : the  last  two  letters  are  dittography.  There  follows  a list  of 
various  kinds  of  “evil  eye,”  for  which  see  p.  86. 

4.  xnuiDxn  xry : so  the  most  likely  reading;  cf.  Lidz.  4,  end,  XJ’y 
XJXIDin  (?). 

“The  eye  that  sees  (or  of  those  that  see)  within  the  heart”  is  a 
reference  to  the  uncanny  effect  of  the  evil  eye. 

In  what  follows  some  corrections  are  necessary,  ixi  = im  ?;  for  b'n 
pcm  read  C’u  ;n  as  farther  on,  and  correct  xrrOT  to  xrvmxT  with  1.  5.  There 
is  evidently  a repetition  of  phrases.  The  Em  Gn  (like  the  xcmpy)  is  the 
personification  of  the  power  operating  these  psychological  wonders.  Cf. 
the  Rabbinic  mm  (Joel,  Dcr  Aberglaube,  i,  80),  the  New  Testament  Smau.us, 
xTno  xj’tn  = ’o^n , 24 : 4. 

At  the  end  of  1.  5 comes  a long  series  of  characters  which  do  not 
appear  to  form  words. 

1 According  to  Karmsedin’s  Lexicon,  quoted  by  Payne-Smith  under  the  latter 
word;  in  lingua  Nabathaea  est  oecononius  et  viatorum  exceptor,  etc.  Observe  the 
accompanying  name  smx. 


No.  31  (CBS  9008) 

rue  nrm  (3)  ronjDDK  *n  mmsn  tom  nmm  (2)  snomA  ndkd  *on  pro 
p^no  (5)  primal  pnto  ptdk  nd^th  (4)  Nniorp  nmi  pi 

nnrucDK  “m  rm*n  «:m  nmm  (6)  xnenn^  ndso  pSn  pntuoi  pennei  pimp 
nnDK  ma'ow  ms  mmo  Dint d d pnmn:  (7)  lmna1  mtrn  jnnrib  JWJ  xbn 
+ + + + + + + mi^n  nbo  pex  pdk  knxnnnn  (8)  nns  ns  nx  hn  narnm  xnie 
nj»  nrm  nemeox  nn  nnsi  xjm  rim  anruai  (9)  nmn  nejnui  mnnnu 

pox  (10)  xneiim  xnSmc  nmn  pi 

Translation 

This  bowl  is  designated  for  the  sealing  (2)  of  the  house  of  this 
(Dadbeh  bar  Asmanducht,  (3)  that  from  him  and  his  house  may  remove 
the  Tormentor  (4)  and  the  Curse  and  the  very  evil  Dreams.  Charmed; 
fortified  and  confirmed,  (5)  corroborated,  strengthened  and  sealed  and 
guarded  are  these  bowls  for  the  sealing  (6)  of  the  house  of  this  Dahbeh 
b.  A.,  that  they  may  not  lodge  together  (with  them).  In  the  name  of 
Yahihu  (7)  NHRBTMW,  S,  MR‘S,  MRMR,  ’oth  Sasbiboth,  Astar,  Muta. 
YSHN’H,  Ah,  Ah,  Ah,  Ahah,  (8)  AAAAAAA,  Amen,  Amen,  Selah, 
Hallulia. 

Sealed  and  guarded  shall  be  the  house  (9)  and  wife  and  sons  of  this 
Dadbeh  b.  A.,  that  there  may  remove  from  him  and  his  house  the  Tor- 
mentor and  the  Curse  and  evil  Dreams.  Amen. 

Commentary 

For  a general  discussion  of  the  epigraphy  and  language  of  this  and 
the  following  Syriac  bowls  (Nos.  31-37),  see  Introduction,  § 6.  The 
crosses  in  1.  8 are  the  same  as  those  which  occur  in  the  center  “seals”  of 
these  Syriac  bowls. 

1.  ui  pp:  cf.  8:  t,  and  see  to  3 : 1. 

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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


2.  Dadbeh  son  of  Asmanducht  appears  also  in  Nos.  12  and  16.  Here 
the  latter  name  appears  in  full  Persian  form,  -ducht. 

3.  npn  = nrn:  see  to  4:  6. 

4.  pnro : see  to  4 : 6. 

5.  pS'riD:  for  ;no.-SDN*2  pSn  with  reference  to  the  four  duplicate  bowls. 

6.  lK'niO:  a play  on  the  Tetragrammaton,  with  the  three  primar}' 
vowels;  cf.  the  magical  use  of  the  seven  vowels  in  Greek;  there  a>/o> 
is  also  found,  Paris  Pap.,  1.  3019  ff. 


No.  32  (CBS  16086) 

nnm  tdtijsd'k  *d  ’urn  man  rmrosTi  (2)  nnm  xnonn^  nd*o  kjh  [ora 
Kin.  o (4)  Kinin  "priyi  inny  won  nhs  nb>o  x»brh  (3)  Kn^rno  n:o 

kjodi  (5)  nhi  ntp  pnba  by  tomriDi  prr^y  anai  toma  *o  yiK»"  m ym 
aJ>y5n  ktohdi  pn^y  ana  am  -poruaD’x  na  ’um  nnma  mtn  Naoh  ttri'bb) 
Navb'J  i:  p xjvb’J  kop  nmx  nmx  n u jo  nmx  nmxnx  nanx  era  (6) 
-iDjan’K  pnanai  [xn]NDT  -iarrx  promi  xntai  ny-ixi  n'db*  (7)  tyaan’N  pronm 
pa^y  P’i’Di  Kta^y  pa  nay  pnanai  (8)  toabi  xn'bbs  njodi  xvn  [nte?  xann] 
nn’[a  fa]  (9)  pa [P2«^>]  x.dki  xn^an^  [xj^in  xbi’p  Sa  ^xrrxi  xanab 
onnoi  Dm[m]  tdxi  xmanona  [pjnmmty  nimrxi  ^a  |ai  -panjaD’x  na  ’lam 
D'nn  tdx  am  vm  x^>  noiyn  Shanp  xpjni  (10)  ia’[na  $b  N’anp  xt]bh  pa\s 
□m[nno  (11)  n^D  pox  pax]  xy  nm1  nvp  rprprrmrp  nwa  Nimnon  xjn  annai 
amnnmi  xnaiip  xt^a  xabm  xr^aaa  pa  “paToaD'x  na  nann  mm  nrpa  ntaan^aa 

ai  xmm  xnaibi  xsra  xa^m  xn^ana  pa  (12)  [riaai  nnmx]  ntaanmi 

pax  nJ>n 


Translation 

This  bowl  is  designated  for  the  sealing  of  the  house  and  the  wife  (2) 
and  the  children  of  Dinoi  bar  Ispandarmed,  that  there  remove  from  him 
the  Tormentor  (3)  and  evil  Dreams. 

The  bowl  I deposit  and  sink  down,  a work  which  has  been  made  (4) 
like  that  which  Rab  Jesus  bar  Perahia  sat  and  wrote  against  them, — a 
ban-writ  against  all  the  Demons  and  Devils  (5)  and  Satans  and  Liliths 
and  Latbe  which  are  in  the  house  of  Dinoi  b.  I.  Again : he  wrote  against 
them  a ban-writ  which  is  for  all  time,  (6)  by  the  virtue  of  ’TMDG,  Atatot 
Atot,  within  T(  ?),  Atot  Atot  the  name,  a writing  within  a writing.  Through 
which  (words)  were  subjected  (7)  heaven  and  earth  and  the  mountains ; and 
through  which  the  heights  were  commanded ; and  through  which  were 
fettered  Arts,  Demons  and  Devils  and  Satans  and  Liliths  and  Latbe;  (8) 
and  through  which  he  passed  over  from  this  world  and  climbed  above  you 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


to  the  height  (of  heaven)  and  learned  all  counter-charms,  a ruin  to 
destruction,  and  ...  to  bring  you  forth  (9)  from  the  house  of  Dinoi  b.  I., 
and  from  all  that  is  in  his  house,  I have  dismissed  you  by  the  ban-writ. 
And  charmed  and  sealed  and  countersealed  is  it,  even  as  ancient  runes  fail 
not,  (10)  and  (like)  ancient  men  who  are  not  ...  Again:  charmed  and 
sealed  and  countersealed  is  this  ban-\Vrit  by  the  virtue  of  YHYHYHYHYH, 
YHYH,  YHYH,  A‘.  Amen,  Amen,  Selah. 

(11)  Sealed  and  protected  are  the  house  and  dwelling  of  Dinoi  b.  I. 
from  the  Tormentor  and  evil  Dreams  and  the  Curse.  And  sealed  and  pro- 
tected be  [his  wife  and  son]  (12)  from  the  Tormentor  and  evil  Dreams  and 
Curse  and  Vows  and  Hallela,  Amen. 

Commentary 

Nos.  32  and  33  certain  practically  identical  inscriptions,  except  that 
they  are  made  out  in  the  name  of  different  clients,  and  that  No.  32  has 
additional  matter  at  the  beginning  and  the  end.  This  identity  is  fortunate 
for  the  interpretation  of  the  two  bowls,  for  the  lacunae  in  each  one  can  be 
almost  wholly  supplied  from  the  other.  Also  No.  35  is  made  out  for  the 
wife  of  the  client  of  the  present  charm.  The  chirography  of  all  three 
bowls  is  the  same,  being  more  cursive  than  the  script  of  No.  31. 

The  charms  effected  in  this  and  the  following  bowl  are  attributed  to  a 
certain  master  magician,  Jesus  bar  Perahia,  evidently  the  Joshua  ben 
Perahia,  who  appears  in  the  same  capacity  in  Nos.  8,  9,  and  17. 
Now  Joshua  ben  Perahia  is  one  of  the  several  Zugoth  or  Pairs,  who  handed 
down  the  tradition  of  the  Law  from  the  Great  Synagogue ; and  he  flourished 
in  the  reign  of  Alexander  Jannaeus,  in  the  early  part  of  the  first  century 
B.  C.  The  Mishnaic  reference  to  him  is  found  in  Pirke  Aboth  1 : 7,  where 
the  following  dictum  is  attributed  to  him : “Make  unto  thyself  a master,  and 
possess  thyself  of  an  associate,  and  judge  every  man  on  the  scale  of  merit.” 

Further,  an  interesting  Talmudic  tradition  concerning  the  same  Joshua 
appears  in  uncensored  editions,  according  to  which  he  fled  into  Egypt  to 
escape  the  cruel  persecution  instituted  by  Alexander  against  the  Pharisees, 
culminating  in  the  crucifixion  of  eight  hundred  of  that  faction,  circa  88 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


227 


B.  C.1  The  tradition  is  of  added  interest  because  it  connects  Joshua  with  a 
certain  1C”  whose  identity  with  Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  generally  recognized.' 

The  passage  in  Sank.  107b  reads  as  follows : The  rabbis  taught : The  left  hand 
should  always  push  away,  and  the  right  hand  receive  favorably.  Not  like  Elisha, 
who  drove  away  Gehazi  with  both  hands,  nor  like  Joshua  b.  P.  who  drove  off  Jesus 

(in  the  Munich  MS.,  and  in  Sota  nsun  nr*,  i.  e.  Jesus  the  Nazarene) How 

was  that?  When  king  Jannaeus  killed  the  rabbis,  R.  Joshua  b.  P.  and  Jesus  went 
to  Alexandria  of  Egypt.  • When  peace  was  established,  Simeon  b.  Setah  sent  a 
message  to  him:  From  Jerusalem  the  Holy  City  to  thee  Alexandria  of  Egypt,  my 
sister:  My  husband  is  lodged  in  thee,  and  I sit  desolate. — He  (Joshua)  arose,  and 
came,  and  lodged  at  a certain  inn,  where  they  paid  him  great  respect.  He  said : 
How  fair  is  this  inn  ( aksania ).  He  (Jesus)  said  to  him,  Rabbi,  her  eyes  (as  though 
by  aksania  the  landlady  was  meant!)  are  too  bleary.  He  replied  to  him:  Thou 
knave,  thou  busiest  thyself  with  such  stuff ! He  brought  forth  four  hundred  horns 
and  excommunicated  him.  He  (Jesus)  came  in  his  presence  many  a time,  and  said, 
Receive  me;  he  took  no  notice  of  him.  One  day  he  was  reading  the  Shema,  Jesus 
again  presented  himself,  thinking  he  would  receive  him.  He  made  a sign  to  him 
with  his  hand,  he  thought  that  he  had  utterly  rejected  him.  He  went  off  and  erected 
a tile  and  worshipped  it.  Joshua  said  to  him,  Repent.  He  replied,  I have  been 
taught  by  thee  that  every  sinner  and  seducer  of  the  people  can  find  no  opportunity 
for  repentance.  And  so  it  was  said : Jesus  bewitched  and  seduced  and  drove  off 
Israel. 

It  is  of  interest  that  the  Jesus  of  our  texts  is  given  a title  which  be- 
came the  epithet  of  the  Nazarene  Jesus  with  whom  Talmudic  tradition 
connected  him:  34:  2,  = ’ivaovg  uu-T/p.  Is  there  in  this  magical 

reference  to  Jesus  b.  Perahia  a confusion  with  Jesus  Christ? 

We  find  then  in  these  magical  bowls  an  independent  tradition  con- 
cerning an  early  hero  of  the  Taw,  who  appears  as  endowed  with  magic 
powers,  and  who  furthermore  was  able  to  make  the  ascent  of  the  soul  to 
heaven.  He  was  accordingly  one  of  the  earliest  to  attain  that  spiritual 

1 See  Schiirer,  GJl/7i,  i,  288. 

* The  anecdote  is  found  in  Sanhedrin  107b  = Sota  47a;  cf.  Jerusalem  Talmud 
Hagiga,  ii,  2,  Sanli.  vi,  8.  Dalman,  in  Eaible’s  Jesus  Christus  im  Talmud?,  Appendix, 
p.  8 ff.,  gives  the  texts  of  the  first  three  passages,  with  critical  apparatus,  and  Strack, 
Jesus,  die  Hdretiker  u,  d.  Christen,  1910,  § 8,  gives  the  texts  from  Hagiga,  and  the 
Bab.  Sanhedrin.  Through  the  kindness  of  Dr.  Julius  H.  Greenstone,  I have  also  had 
access  to  his  rare  copy  of  the  Constantinople  edition,  1585,  of  Sanhedrin.  Dalman 
quotes  the  Venetian  editions  of  the  two  Talmuds,  and  the  Jewish  Encyclopaedia,  s.  v. 
Joshua  b.  P.  cites  the  Amsterdam  and  Berlin  edition  of  1865  for  the  passage  in 
Sota.  On  the  criticism  of  the  legend  concerning  Jesus,  see  Laible,  p.  40  ff.,  and  Strack, 
ad  loc.  The  Jerusalem  Talmud  names  Juda  b.  Tabai  in  place  of  Joshua  (they  were 
contemporaries)  and  omits  mention  of  Jesus.  Cf.  Blau,  p.  34.  for  some  points  of 
interpretation.  The  introduction  of  Jesus  is  a sheer  anachronism. 


228 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


privilege,  which  was  the  claim  of  apocalyptists  from  the  author  of  Enoch 
down.  See  in  general  Bousset,  “Die  Himmelreise  d.  Seek,”  in  Archiv  f. 
Rel-zvissenschaft,  iv  (1901),  136  f.,  229  f.  Such  a claim  is  made  for 
Akiba,  who  alone  of  four  friends  succeeded  in  penetrating  Paradise,  Hagiga 
14b  (see  Bousset,  p.  145),  and  this  mystical  claim  was  asserted  by  the 
Kabbalists  for  Moses  and  especially  for  R.  Ishmael ; see  full  references 
in  Bousset,  p.  151  ff.,  cf.  Graetz,  Gescli.  v,  231  and  Joel,  Aherglaube,  ii,  35. 
The  Talmudic  tradition  has  unfortunately  not  preserved  for  us  enough  of 
the  mystical  side  of  the  early  teachers ; Akiba  could  not  have  been  alone 
in  his  mysticism.  Joshua  was  possibly  one  of  the  good  company  of 
apocalyptists  and  our  magic  tradition  may  preserve  a true  reminiscence  of 
his  personality  and  claims. 

2.  plural  with  masc.  sing,  suffix,  as  in  the  texts  above  and  in 
Mandaic. 

'ltn : s.  Noldeke,  Persische  Studien,  403. 

3.  oi  xro"i  N‘~ns:  see  to  9:  1.  T may  now  add  the  Syriac  Ninis,  “earthen- 
ware figures”  (of  the  gods),  occurring  in  Overbeck,  Ephracmi  Syri  ... 
opera,  13,  1.  24.  Compare  also  the  Assyrian  piiru,  “bowl,”  see  Zimtnern, 
Beitrage,  14 7,  note  k,  and  KAT 3,  518:  but  my  etymology  contravenes  that  of 
Zimmern. 

NTOy:  so  also  in  No.  33;  elsewhere  ainy,  x'-Qiy,  snayD. 

Ninin : a duplicated  form  of  the  pronoun,  found  in  the  Syriac. 

4.  '2  : a preposition  appearing  in  the  Rabbinic  dialect,  not  in  Syriac. 

yity”  : the  spelling  represents  the  older  pronunciation,  the  Biblical  yitr\ 
’I^croif , the  Jacobite  Yesu,  over  against  the  Nestorian  Isu. 

NvnnDl:  Prof.  Roland  G.  Kent,  to  whom  I referred  this  word,  has 
published  an  elaborate  study  of  it  in  JAOS,  1911,  359.  He  comes  to  the 
conclusion  that  it  means  “a  handwritten  deterrent,”  from  dost,  “hand”  + 
bhira  (Sansk.),  “terrifying.”  The  word  occurs  only  here  and  in  No.  33. 

5.  : see  to  9:  7. 

6.  The  same  magical  reference  appears  in  No.  32.  For  the  practice 
see  the  more  perfect  form  in  9:  6. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


229 


Jinon  : a unique  spelling  (occurring  also  in  the  parallel,  No.  33,  along 
with  |i:n),  for  the  Syriac  hennon.  It  is  an  elder  form  and  is  to  be  com- 
pared with  the  Rabbinic  irU’N,  see  Levias,  Grammar , § 95. 

7.  1DJTN : corresponding  to  both  Syriac  and  Rabbinic  forms. 

1DDJTX:  from  a denominative  verb,  arising  from  the  root  1DN.  Payne- 
Smith,  col.  2181,  gives  a citation  for  ID D,  = vinxit  catenis  vel  compedibus, 
with  which  may  be  compared  xniJTDBD,  actus  ligationis,  ib.  col.  324.  Also 
cf.  1YD,  Glossary  C. 

8.  : also  found  in  37:  11  and  in  Lidzbarski,  Maud.  Amulet,  1.  33 
(de  Vogue  volume). 

fOpasb  : for  the  infinitive,  cf.  9 : 8. 

pa'N  = Syriac  aikanna ; the  good  Syriac  “pK  appears  in  the  parallel 
34 : 4.  What  follows  is  not  perfectly  clear.  By  the  “ancient  songs”  ( 
rare  in  Syriac),  are  meant  charms  (i.  e.  carmina ),  such  as  the  master  Jesus 
b.  P.  once  used.  But  the  following  clause  remains  obscure  because  of  the 
unintelligible 

10.  NttON : cf.  the  Rabbinic , which  Noldeke  ( Mand . Gram.,  182) 
understands  as  enase,  not  inse.  The  Syriac  rarely  uses  the  plural  in  the 
sense  of  “men.” 


No.  33  (CBS  16019) 

anai  s’ma  na  yity”  an  3'n'i  (3)  xin ’a  ximn  -raya  xnay  (2)  xa’ptan  xa^ai  xna 
nrraa  rvxn  xatah  xn’bbi  (5)  njddi  xvn  xtc?  pn!>3  !?y  xvariDP  pn’S’y  (4) 
nmxnx  ananx  mta’a  o^yin  XT>anDi  prp^y  ana  mn  (6)  nanaaDX  pa  runxm 
tr’aan’x  pnanan  xav^a  ia  t-  aai’i’lpa]  xasr  mnx  ninx  [n  ia  ia  n]inx  (7) 
xi]'n  (9)  xti*’  xann  pd»jvx  panai  xnxop  aan'x  panai  xpidi  x[ynxi  n’Idcp  (8) 
[!>a  p]5>xn’xi  xana!>  pa^y  p^oi  xai>y  jd  na[y  panjai  xaah  xn^Si  xa[DDi 
nanaaDX  in  nanxpp  rin^a  fa  papax^  [x.dxi]  xnibanb  xS'an  xpa’p  (10) 
xt>dh  p3'X  tannai  D’nn[i  P’dxi  xi’janDna  prpp’at?  n^n’xn  5>ia  jai  (11) 
xan  annai  C’nn  tdx  am  lin  x>  Poiyp  x'bnp  xraxi  (12)  nna  x8  X'anp 
nrra  ntaan’ji  D’nnniJ  [n ] Pd  pox  pax  (13)  xy  rprr  n’n<  mrprp  mtya  xp’anDn 
pax  xnmh  xn^aaa  ;a  na’jpi  rinaai  riaa  nnnaxi  nanao[DX  ia  nanxi  xa]m 

This  inscription  is  practically  contained  in  No.  32,  with  a change  in  the 
name  of  the  client,  who  is  the  same  as  the  one  in  the  Syriac  No.  31  and 
Nos.  12,  16. 


(230) 


No.  34  (CBS  9012) 

xmx  yitnn  ^np  (2)  ’axa  "in  ppoPin  pmap  nnn  painn^  xdxp  xjp  jara 
ppopin  pmap  nmm  nm  nnmxi  nmpi  (3)  nnjipcyoi  mn  p’dx  xmpn  nrix  bmp 

JOT  XPItT  T>K  1DP1  PIDP  XO’b  XC5PO  PCXP  "pX  (4)  D'Dm  P’DX  ’OK’D  PP  XPpmaP 
xjb'xbi  nypxb  xnbx  npptrxp  xnba  Nina  (5)  D'nm  p’DX  c'nni  pmx  id’3  pmnn 
N’tt&y  up  a^nm  ton  (6)  xnxapi  xpia  pidxp  D’nm  p’dx  pn'naxb  pyppp 
b’xna  (7)  mtyp  pa’P  xjppispi  pmox  xnbapi  xbrai  xppip  xpipdi  xenatn  xypxi 
tpkp  xmtmp  nbip  xo'nni  xp'dx  uipxp  xppy  b’xnpji  X’bna  b’X’pni  xmx 
ruupi  mm  xnm  rim  nnn:x  nmpp  (8)  'axa  pp  ppapin  pmap  npapp  mxp 
poTin  pipp  (9)  T>n  pp  xpba  pa’btm  nnppypi  ur  pp  p.nxp  nanm  mn  bppi 
pD'nm  xpp  xanm  X2’pn  xna  ddpppxi  ntpb’xp  xannp  xjo’nm  xriabi  xat^y 
XJP  xanm  napp  j»  n:a  xpabi  xma  xppm  (io)  xpm  !m  xy-uo  xw  np 
xpu  (11)  pidxp  PDnx  xpyp  ami  ppcp  bai  p^yj  xb  xby’ai  xnop  i>yn  ppypxb 
nnn  pajnm  mnnnu  nbo  pax  pax  xypxi  xmtn  xpyab  xapy  xn  tbtncm 
xabm  xnbppa  ruo  nrm  ’axa  pp  (12)  ppapin  pmap  m:i2i  nampi  rim  nnruxi 
D'nnrrm  xnu'PD’ai  xpim  xnDini  xrn  xnbppai  xanm  xppui  xnoibi  xenp 
xenm  xppui  xnaibi  xenp  xabm  xnbppa  ja  (13)  xppd  np  np  mnp  pajmm 
rib  pnpn  xbi  nbnpi  np’p  xnbapai  xnnatnai  xmbbi  xnbppa  PDmm  xppyai 

pax  xppd  np  np  mnp  xppp  np  pamn  xbi  (14) 

Translation 

This  bowl  is  designated  for  the  sealing  of  the  house  of  Mihr-hormizd 
bar  Marni  (2)  by  power  of  the  virtue  of  Jesus  the  healer,  by  the  virtue 
of  my  mighty  relative.  Charmed  is  the  dwelling,  and  the  abode  (3)  and 
the  house  and  the  wife  and  the  sons  and  the  daughters  of  Mihr-hormizd,  who 
is  surnamed  b.  M. ; charmed  and  sealed  (4)  even  as  Moses  commanded 
the  Red  Sea  and  they  (the  waters)  stood  up  like  a wall  on  both  sides. 
Charmed  and  sealed,  charmed  and  sealed,  (5)  by  this  word  which  God 


(231) 


232 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


laid  upon  the  earth  and  the  trees  which. . . their  tops;  charmed  and  sealed 
with  the  seal  of  the  mountains  and  heights ; (6)  charmed  and  sealed  (with 
the  spell  which  is)  in  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  the  sun  and  the  moon, 
the  stars  and  (zodiacal)  signs,  and  by  the  word  they  are  charmed  and 
remain  in  ward.  In  the  name  of  (7)  Michael  the  healer  and  Rofiel  the 
reliever,  and  Gabriel  the  servant  of  the  Lord. 

Charmed  and  sealed  is  all  evil  that  is  in  the  body  of  Mihr-hormizd  b. 
M.  (8)  and  in  his  house  (and)  his  wife  and  his  sons  and  his  daughters 
and  his  cattle  and  his  property  and  in  all  his  dwelling,  by  the  signet  of 
Arion  son  of  Zand  and  by  the  seal  of  King  Solomon  son  of  David,  (9)  by 
which  were  sealed  the  Oppressors  and  the  Latbe.  And  we  have  sealed 
with  the  seal  of  El  Saddai  and  Abraxas  the  mighty  lord,  and  the  great 
seal  with  which  were  sealed  heaven  and  earth  and  all  Demons  (10)  and 
foul  Knots  and  Latbe,  which  contend  against  him.  And  a seal  is  this 
against  Harm  and  Constraint  (?),  that  they  shall  not  at  all  enter  in.  And 
every  Dainkar  and  Sait  and  Sard  are  charmed  by  the  spell  of  ( 1 1 ) fire  and 
the  enchainment  of  water  until  the  dissolution  of  heaven  and  earth.  Amen, 
Amen,  Selah.  Sealed  and  guarded  be  the  house  and  wife  and  sons  and 
property  and  body  of  Mihr-hormizd  (12)  b.  M.,  and  depart  from  him  the 
Injurer  and  evil  Dreams  and  the  Curse  and  the  Vow  and  Arts  and  the 
Tormentor  and  Damages  and  Losses  and  Failures  and  Poverty. 

And  sealed  and  protected  be  Bahroi  bath  Bath-Sahde  from  the 
Tormentor  and  evil  Dreams  and  the  Curse  and  the  Vow  and  Arts  and 
Practices.  And  charmed  be  the  Tormentor  and  Lilith  and  Ban-spirit,  who 
thwarts  her  in  her  hand  and  foot,  and  may  it  not  approach  nor  afflict  this 
Bahroi  b.  B. 


Commentary 

The  text  is  of  the  same  order  as  those  immediately  preceding.  At  the 
end  the  charm  is  operated  for  a woman  (with  a Christian  name),  presum- 
ably the  wife  of  the  chief  client  of  the  text. 

1.  pDinn:  the  reading  is  certain,  and  the  word  is  parallel  to  NTiEnn 
in  the  previous  inscriptions,  but  the  formation  is  unique,  if  it  be  not  an 
error;  ’Ginn  would  be  a Pael  inf. 

A Hormizd  son  of  Mama(i)  appears  in  No.  15. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


233 


nr  JO  Tin  "lire  is  the  same  as  Mitr-oharmazde,  or  Mihrhormuz,  the  name 
of  the  murderer  of  Chosroes  II;  see  Justi,  p.  216. 

2.  K'DN:  here  applied  to  the  sorcerer,  but  otherwise  of  God,  e.  g.  3 : 1, 
or  angels,  e.  g.  Michael,  1.  7.  See  introduction  to  notes  on  No.  32. 

'Ontt  (evidently  so  written)  I take  to  be  for  Tnx,  “my  cousin.”  The 
magical  tradition  was  handed  down  in  the  sorcerer’s  family,  cf.  8:  11. 

Nniootrto  = NJOC’JO,  but  of  peculiar  formation. 

4.  NCntO:  a point  over  N,  also  in  the  same  name  in  35:  6 — diacritical 
for  e? 

The  charm  is  the  effective  one  used  by  Moses  at  the  Red  Sea,  cf.  Ex. 
14:  22.  See  p.  64  for  the  magical  use  of  such  episodes.  But  the  plural 
10p  is  a reminiscence  of  Josh.  3 : 16,  and  indicates  conflation  of  the  two 
narratives.  }'D'J  pnTin  JO  appears  to  be  a confusion  for  pri'D^  Tin  p.  Tin 
is  Palmyrene  and  Rabbinic,  not  Edessene,  but  is  found  in  neo-Syriac, 
Noldeke,  Mand.  Gram.,  § 153. 

5.  maK'X:  of  laying  a spell;  the  same  verb  for  laying  a ghost,  16:  11. 
The  Afel  is  a hebraism.  Compare  Is.  9:  7:  “a  word  Yahwe  has  sent  in 
Jacob,  and  it  has  fallen  in  Israel” ; i.  e.  the  magical  word  itself  is  potent. 

Ol  NjGn:  the  reference  of  the  noun  is  obscure  as  is  also  the  meaning 
of  the  following  verb.  There  may  be  a reference  to  some  myth  concerning 
ancient  “big”  trees;  cf.  Isaia’s  denunciation  of  “everything  high  and  lifted 
up,”  2 : 5 ff.,  and  especially  his  woe  upon  the  cedars  of  Lebanon  and  the 
pan  Oi^N , v.  13.  Then  v.  14  is  parallel  to  the  xnsEni  XHD  of  1.  5.  The 
following  relative  clause  is  almost  unintelligible.  The  root  jm  is  found 
only  in  Arabic,  = “withhold,  refuse.”  The  next  word  I identify  with  the 
Biblical  tdx,  Is.  17:  6 (possibly,  with  some  critics,  also  in  Gen.  49:  21). 
The  old  tree-myth  may  have  told  how  the  trees  flaunted  their  high  tops 
against  the  gods.  The  obscurity  of  the  passage  may  be  due  to  corruption 
of  the  form  of  the  legend.  The  1 of  JirviDN  appears  to  be  used  as  one  of 
the  Seyame  points. 

6.  p'DX:  n.  b.  position  of  the  points. 

NJ“ip1D3:  a reference  to  the  myth  of  the  restraint  of  the  celestial  powers; 
see  the  discussion  on  4:  5,  and  cf.  Is.  24:  21. 


234 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


7-  a unique  epithet  for  Raphael.  It  is  a paid  el  formation  from 

xSi,  and,  agreeably  to  the  etymology  of  Raphael  and  parallel  to  the  epithet 
applied  to  Gabriel,  the  participle  is  used  in  the  sense  “to  relieve,”  .yc.  the 
sick.  Cf.  Baba  Bathra  16  b,  XTYp  ’b'T'X  XOV  '^TX;  “when  the  day  is  high, 
the  sick  man  is  relieved.”  In  the  Syriac  the  Pael  came  to  be  used  in  the 
sense  of  “saving,”  see  Payne-Smith,  col.  903. 

'Xl  miy  : Gabriel  is  especially  the  messenger  of  Deity;  cf.  Luke 

1,  and  Rev.  19:  10,  where  the  angel  who  calls  himself  abvtiovhoc  with  the 
apocalyptist  may  be  Gabriel. 

8.  rrvo : Mandaic  form.  Several  phylacteries  for  cattle  are  given  in 
Pradel’s  collection  of  Graeco-Italian  charms;  e.  g.  p.  18  and  references, 
pp.  125,  127.  An  exorcism  against  the  “seven  accursed  brothers”  (the 
Babylonian  Seven)  who  attack  and  devour  the  blood  of  the  cattle,  is  given 
in  Gollancz’s  Syriac  charms,  p.  87.  According  to  the  Babylonian  magic  the 
Seven  Spirits  “smite  both  oxen  and  sheep”  (Thompson,  Sem.  Magic,  i,  33). 
The  mediaeval  belief  in  the  ‘hexing’  of  cattle  still  flourishes  among  the 
Pennsylvania  Germans. 

IN  "U  jvnx  : this  sorcerer’s  name  appears  also  in  No.  19:  13,  17,  and 
the  two  passages  help  mutually  to  identify  the  words. 

9.  XDtry:  a new  species  of  demons,  “the  oppressors,”  ppl.  of  a common 
Syriac  root. 

10.  xip'y  (or  '3  ?)  : “Knots,”  i.  e.  of  magical  power.  The  word  cor- 
responds to  the  Arabic  ‘ukdat. 

X’OO:  , has  usurped  the  radical  X;  cf.  Noldeke,  Syr.  Gram.,  § 33  b. 

plynn : Etpa.  of  xry,  probably  metaplastic  for  Try . 

|njnx  : for  the  prosthetic  vowel  see  Noldeke,  Syr.  Gram.,  § 51,  Mand. 
Gram.,  § 24  (n.  b.  the  equivalence  of  '2xS  and  ' p by,  as  in  Mandaic).  The 
word  may  mean  ugliness  or  some  more  specific  malady.  Cf.  the  charms 
in  the  Greek  magical  papyri  for  obtaining  good  looks. 

The  parallel  xnop  must  also  mean  some  kind  of  malady,  and  may  be 
identified  with  the  Assyrian  kamtu,  “misery”  (Muss-Arnolt,  Diet.  366), 
which  is  to  be  connected  with  the  Hebrew  and  Aramaic  root  cop, 
“compress”  (with  dissimilation  of  the  dental)  ; probably  some  form  of 
contortion. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


235 


pCyj  : the  first  word  is  evidently  an  absolute  infinitive  from  SSy, 

plus  a (=  me“eld  = me‘la,  cf.  the  noun  mafia).  For  this  formation  with 
final  a,  Noldeke  offers  a Mandaic  instance,  Maud.  Gram.,  250,  last  line, 
NBp'O.  In  the  form  Jlb'ya  (if  ' is  to  be  read)  doubling  of  the  second  radical 
appears  ; cf.  the  Mandaic  form  [13'Tn,  cited  by  Noldeke,  ibid.,  249,  ad  infra. 

xm  D’en  "ipEH  boi  : all  three  words  are  obscure.  The  second  may  be 
the  O’Cyof  the  Kre  to  Is.  28:  15,  = D1E>,  “scourge.”  The  third  may  be  the 
Rabbinic  fcOty,  “prince,  demon”;  or  the  Hebrew  serah  (also  Aramaic) 
“chain,  necklace,”  cf.  the  magical  snp3y.  But  diseases  are  apparently  in- 
tended (cf.  jnyox  above),  and  we  may  identify  trey  with  the  Syriac  Sdita, 
“eye-tumor”  (Payne-Smith,  col.  4094),  and  iOty  with  the  Syriac  N’lty 
(ib.,  4316),  “diarrhoea.”  ipDT  may  then  be  understood  aas  a formation 
from  Tp3,  “pierce,”  of  tafal  form, — tankar  =tamkar  (cf.  Delitzsch,  Ass. 
Gram.,  § 59),  = damkar.  With  the  root  meaning  of  perforation,  cancer 
or  the  like  may  be  referred  to.  The  absolute  forms  are  used,  as  proper 
names. 

11.  tOE)  jbcytyoi  N~iO  "ilDN:  fire  and  water  are  potent  over  demons. 

is  a collective  form  in  -an.  Cf.  the  catenis  igneis  in  Wfinsch,  Ant. 
Fluchtafeln,  no.  7. 

01  NEHy:  the  demons  are  to  be  bound  till  the  end  of  the  present 

aeon ; then  will  begin  a new  order,  which  will  include  the  final  destruction 
of  their  power;  cf.  2 Pet.  3:  12:  ovpavol  TivpovfiEvoi  \v&7](yovTai',  also  Fnoch. 

12.  NJ'T  : “loss”;  see  Jastrow,  p.  393,  Payne-Smith,  col.  1118.  For  the 
personification  of  all  kinds  of  losses,  see  p.  94. 

’lino  : hypocoristicon  of  Bahrain?  See  Noldeke,  Pers.  Stud.,  387  ff., 
Justi,  361  ff. 

NtnD  no:  “Daughter-of-the-Martyrs,”  a Christian  name,  cf.  Bar-S.,  in 
Asseman,  Bibl.  Or.,  ii,  403  (Payne-Smith,  col.  2536),  a bishop  of  Nineve. 
Cf.  the  proper  names,  “Son-of-Carpenters,”  “Son-of-Ironsmiths,”  ib.  591, 
596. 

13.  01  NnnotytD:  epithets  of  the  Lilith,  who  is  also  the  Witch,  who  can 
“bind”  the  limbs  of  her  victim;  see  No.  42  and  p.  78.  Superior  points  for 
the  feminine  suffix  are  used  here  as  also  in  No.  35. 

14.  ~iorrn : switchings  by  demons  are  a common  theme  of  magic,  see 
1:10;  compare  the  Christian  hagiological  legends. 


No.  35  (CBS  1609T) 

nn  (3)  nm-rxtn  nusni  nrjp-n  rmii  rural  (2)  xmoji  xnt2nr6  xdxd  ton  torn 
io-p:  joi  xSnxm  xmmm  (4)  joom  xm[i]  xtaa#  nts?  jc  iDjrpm  ’,db13 
b’X'nm  Vxmo  nxm  ms  mix  ’tnx  (5)  ours  xmx  am  xn»^xi  xrrnpi 
runua  pjxi  xnunojob  xth»  zv  “pperpx  pjxi  (6)  ^x’onm  ^’xnDjai  Vx't^mi 
xriai  xntDii*  ia  im  s^mc  x-rtri  xao  xvh  !a  id  mddid  (7)  m nmTXD  xnnb 
mm  xra  . . » xin  l [t]  j1  xi  . . d . . i xiDnsm  xm[n  (8)  x]ian  xwx  am 
ix  ix.x’xj  x'Dpjnxnm  nxa  xa  . . p . . (9)  5>’xnn  5>’xnon  rppx.&nn  n»mi 
nm-pxs  xin!>  nnanrai  (10)  runta:  pjxi  xninxi  xaxSa  p!m  mm  tdx  max 
ama  m rorrxD  "itarum  mnnrrn  jdx  Dby[b]  SioSyS  mm  Sd  p vqd,d  m 
xnncra  xrp^i  xniom  rarpni  xnai  xnmbi  xmo  xaSm  xniano  (11)  p 
nnruxi  nna  -itarum  amo  ns  (12)  ran’xaP  nb  snpn  xh  n^nm  rrvxn  xnbosm 
pox  xn:i  xnDih  xma  x»^m  xnJaao  p tdtu2D’X  ns  ’am  raa'pi  h:m 

Translation 

Appointed  is  this  bowl  for  the  sealing  and  guarding  (2)  of 
the  house  and  sons  and  property  and  body  of  Maiducht  (3)  bath 
Kumboi,  that  she  may  be  guarded  from  Demons,  Plagues  and  Devils 
and  Satans  (4)  and  Seducers  and  Diaboli,  and  from  any  Vows 
and  Invocations  and  Rites  of  mankind;  in  the  name  of  (5)  arsi, 
ardi  and  mari;  Michael  and  Nuriel  and  Saltiel  and  Mantariel  and 
Hithmiel.  (6)  And  they  were  commissioned  along  with  Moses  to 

wardship,  and  they  will  guard  this  Maiducht  b.  (7)  K.  from  all 

hostile  Devils  and  affrighting  Demons,  and  from  every  Curse  and  Vow  of 
mankind,  of  men  (8)  and  of  women,  and  of  Idol-spirits  who  (are  known) 
and  who  are  not  (known)  by  name.  And  in  the  name  of  Hamariel 

and  Sariel  (9)  of  Yah-Adon-Kamya ; nay  a,  5,  6!  Commanded, 

commanded  is  it  in  the  name  of  these  angels  and  letters  which  will  guard 
(10)  and  seal  this  Maiducht  b.  K.  from  everything  evil,  for  the  ages 


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237 


forever,  Amen.  Sealed  and  guarded  is  Maiducht  b.  K.  from  (n)  the 
Tormentor  and  evil  Dreams  and  the  Curse  and  the  Vow;  and  charmed 
the  Tormentor  and  Lilith  and  Ban-spirit  who  thwarts  her  in  her  hand  and 
foot;  and  may  it  not  approach  Maiducht  (12)  b.  K. 

And  guarded  be  the  house  and  wife  and  son  and  property  of  Dinoi 
son  of  Ispandarmed  from  the  Tormentor  and  evil  Dreams  and  the  Curse 
and  the  Vow.  Amen. 


Commentary 

Largely  a replica  of  No.  34.  It  is  made  out  for  the  wife  of  the  client 
of  No.  33,  who  is  himself  given  a little  space  at  the  end. 

1.  : noun  of  intensive  formation;  cf.  the  charm  cif  <f>povpr)oiv , 
Reitzenstein,  Poim.  292. 

2.  rDTi'KO:  for  the  the  first  element  Mai  see  Justi,  p.  187.  The  name 
also  appears  in  the  unpublished  No.  16093. 

3.  cf.  Ku0a(Of,  K vfiai,  , Justi,  p.  165. 

4.  ND’DTD:  (a  plural-point  is  not  visible)  a peculiar  formation,  evidently 
to  be  connected  with  the  theme  t21D,  ndd,  “go  astray” — hence  “seducing 
spirits,”  corresponding  to  the  words  before  and  after.  The  form  may  be 
explained  as  a Pi‘lel  participle,  with  rejection  of  prefix.  Cf.  2 Ki,  22: 

19  ff.,  and  the  Trvev/uacnv  ■KXavoiq  Kal  6ida.CKa7iia.is  daifiovluv  of  I Tim.  4.  I. 

some  of  the  characters  are  uncertain,  but  the  word  is  suf- 
ficiently clear.  It  appears  in  Syriac  only  (in  the  singular  in  -os)  in  the 
Arabic  lexicons ; see  Payne-Smith,  col.  868. 

xnnp:  evidently  the  same  as  the  common  KIYHp.  Notice  the  distinction 
made  here  between  diabolic  arts  and  human  machinations. 

5.  For  the  assonance,  see  p.  61.  Letters  and  angels  are  practically 
the  same;  see  p.  99.  Of  these  angels,  Nuriel  is  one  of  the  archangels  (also 
Uriel),  Mantariel  and  Hithmiel  are  unique,  Saltiel  is  listed  by  Schwab  as 
a form  of  Saltiel.  These  were  Moses’  guardian  angels,  and  so  can  be 
effective  for  the  present  client. 


No.  36  (CBS  2933) 

xnbusp  mi  snl’iDp ppp  (2)  m . . -psnriK  «■>...  [xd]{o  sin  pro  . . . 
’Nil  'JPP2  ’3  '3333’  N3['D]  ijn^’  i?V  B”Dty  (3)  N’lC  . . . ’OPp  p 'OBP  pIS  PIS 
inn  by)  xrr^’3  amp  by  nby  Gtxn  ^ an’  (4)  mi’ii  nrns  . . .a*.  'b  Pax 
prvmKi  Nn’inaa  xnpnni  jinnna'sp  sins  (5)  fcpa-n  N^api  xn’pun  hb  ppn 
Np’pn  N'pSp  jinnna\sS  to 3 jvnip  (6)  kasba  j'bm  prncnp  ja  pis  xnsia 
[ns xSa  pSn]  (7)  ’anP  ja  Pis  Nnc”3  xnn  ’3psn  psp  ’i>  an1  kdbh  prrri3&6 

-ppp i ’xn&r’N  xmpj  pn  . . . hsKi  kbibn  ms!?  ^wi  xs'ai  xann  sin  ja  ayp 

n^D  paN?a[x]  (8)  n.3pai 


Translation 

. . . designated  is  this  bowl  . . . turned  away  ...  (2)  of  that  Murderess, 
daughter  of  Murderess.  Go  away,  go  away,  and  depart  from  before  . . . 
The  lord  (3)  Sames  (the  Sun)  has  charged  me  against  thee,  Sin  (the 
Moon)  has  sent  me,  Bel  has  commanded  me,  Nannai  has  said  to  me,  and 

and  Nirig  (Nergal)  (4)  has  given  me  power  to  go  against  the  evil 

spirit,  against  Dodib,  whom  they  call  the  Strangler,  who  kills  the  young 
(5)  in  the  womb  of  their  mothers,  and  they  are  called  “Slayer,”  and  their 
fathers  “Destroyer.”  Go  from  the  presence  of  these  holy  angels  (6)  that 
sons  may  come  to  birth  to  their  mothers  and  little  children  to  their  fathers. 
Because  he  has  given  me  a name  by  which  I shall  drive  thee  forth,  Evil 
Spirit.  Go  from  the  presence  of  (7)  [these  angels]  and  depart  from  this 
engraved  seal,  and  go  to  the  bridal  chamber  and  eat...  ; moreover  drink 
a libation  and  [depart  from  . . . daughter  of  . . . ]-izduch  and  her  ....  (8) 
Amen,  Amen,  Selah. 

Commentary 

This  inscription  has  a twofold  interest.  Its  magic  purpose  is  the 
insurance  of  a bride  against  the  goblin  which  would  destroy  her  powers  of 
motherhood ; the  evil  spirit  is  invited  to  go  to  the  bridal  chamber  and  there 


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J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


239 


partake  of  a certain  food  and  drink,  which  it  is  to  be  presumed,  would  in 
some  way  incapacitate  his  powers ; the  text  is  badly  obscured,  but  enough 
survives  to  recall  the  book  of  Tobit  and  the  charm  Raphael  performed 
against  the  demon  which  haunted  the  chamber  of  Tobias’s  bride.  Magic  is 
full  of  this  lilith  witch  who  destroys  love;  for  an  early  instance,  cf.  the 

Maklu- series,  iii,  i ff. : “The  witch  who  robs  the  love  of  the 

enamored  man,  ...  of  the  enamored  maid.  Looking  at  her  he  feels  her 
lascivious  charm.  She  looks  on  the  man  and  takes  away  his  love;  she  looks 
on  the  maid  and  takes  away  her  love.”  Cf.  Nos.  13,  28. 

The  other  feature  of  interest  is  that  the  charm  is  given  as  though  from 
the  old  pagan  deities,  the  lord  Sanies,  Sin,  Bel,  Nannai,  and  Nirig,  the  an- 
cient Nergal.  All  these  except  Nannai  survived  as  evil  spirits, — the  spirits 
of  the  seven  planets — in  the  Mandaic  religion  (see  Norberg,  Onom.,  s.  vv.), 
but  the  present  charm  confesses  their  benevolent  power  and  is  also  without 
any  Mandaic  trace.  (This  more  antique  aspect  of  these  deities  appears  in 
the  early  Mandaic  amulet  published  by  Lidzbarski,  in  the  de  Vogue  volume, 
where,  1.  247  ff.,  “Samis,  Bel,  Nirig  and  Kewan  have  strengthened  him.”) 
It  is  a relic  of  the  religion  which  survived  to  a comparatively  late  date  in 
Harran.  The  charm  is  given  in  the  form  of  an  oracle  from  these  deities 
according  to  ancient  magical  use ; see  p.  100.  For  these  Syrian  deities  see 
the  list  given  by  Jacob  of  Sarug,  edited  by  Martin,  ZDMG,  xxix,  110-131, 
and  in  general  for  the  material  Chwolson,  d.  Ssabier  u.  d.  Ssabismus  (1856). 
For  the  use  made  by  the  Harranian  pagans  of  “magic,  conjurations,  knots, 
figures,  amulets,”  etc.,  see  Chwolson’s  extract  from  the  Fihrist,  ibid.,  ii, 
21 ; for  their  use  of  oracles,  p.  19. 

1.  TsnnN : n for  n,  see  § 6. 

2.  For  the  demon's  artificial  names,  see  p.  77. 

2 f.  troty  N’lD:  in  the  Mandaic  "Om  is  the  epithet  of  the  Sun,  e.  g.  Ginza 
r.,  p.  23,  1.  15,  ed.  Peterman;  for  cf.  Mandaic 

K^D:  3 is  more  likely  than  ~i,  and  we  obtain  a form  of  Sin  in  the  Syriac. 
The  Mandaic  has  both  pD  and  NTD. 

’3 : a dialectic  form  of  b’3  (Mandaic).  For  analogies  in  neo- Punic 
names  (’3,  ’JD,  jn),  see  Lidzbarski,  Handbuch,  289;  CIS,  Inscr.  phoen., 
no.  869;  and  in  Syriac  the  deity  Beducht  (Bel’s  or  Beltis’s,  daughter),  see 


240 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


discussion  in  G.  Hoffmann,  Ausziige  aus  syrischen  Akten  persischer 
Martyr cr  (Leipzig,  1880),  151  ff. 

’503  : the  ancient  Babylonian  goddess  Nanna  (see  Jastrow,  Religion 
Babylonians  it.  Assyrians  i,  76  ff.,  252,  266),  daughter  of  Sin.  See  at  length 
for  the  later  character  of  this  deity  G.  Hoffmann,  Ausziige,  130  ff.,  151  ff. 
(for  later  literature,  Roscher’s  Lexicon,  s.  v.  “Nana”).  She  combined  both 
Venus-  and  Diana-like  characteristics,  and  thus  appears  on  coins  with  a 
crescent  on  her  head  (ibid.,  152).  This  lunar  characteristic  doubtless  ex- 
plains the  gender  of  the  deity  in  our  text,  where  as  the  verb  shows,  he  is 
masculine.  In  his  history  the  moon  god  has  vacillated  between  the  two 
genders,  and  while  in  later  religion  the  moon’s  character  has  generally  been 
defined  as  female,  nevertheless  in  the  Harranian  religion  the  moon  was 
androgynous ; see  the  excursus  by  Chwolson  in  his  Ssabier,  i,  399  ff. 
(Lienee  the  Latin  writers  express  this  Mesopotamian  deity  by  Lunus.)  It 
may  be  noticed  that  in  the  reference  to  Antiochos  Epiphanes’  raid  upon  the 
temple  of  TSavamc  in  2 Mac.  1 : 13,  15,  there  is  found  in  the  Alexandrine 
Codex  the  masculine  variant  Navawv. 

4.  3HH : the  name  is  obscure,  probably  equivalent  to  xmntt,  37:  10, 

q.  v. 

NJY'p'On:  the  normal  feminine  of  this  formation,  as  against  srSvop.  The 
same  evil  spirit,  NnpunsDN,  “Strangling  Mother”  (of  babes)  appears  twice 
in  Gollancz’s  Syriac  charms,  pp.  81,  83  (in  Actcs  of  the  nth  Congr.  of 
Orientalists,  sect.  4).  And  the  like  epithet  is  found  in  the  Greek  amulet 
published  by  Reitzenstein,  Poimandres,  298,  for  Baskania,  the  Lilith-witch, 
who  is  charged  with  the  same  murderous  functions : opuLu  ae,  Irpayya/Ja  7 ro- 
/.L'UOpQt:.  >/  iirepxoptvT/  kzzi  ra  fi/Kjia  zza/bia.  ijzic;  XeiPa  <ri6r/pav  Kai  avpetc  to  TtaiSia  Knl 

k^.e7vt£1£  c lira  nal  reAEvrumv.  And  there  follow  immediately  the  names  of  the  holy 
angels,”  just  as  these  are  referred  to  in  1.  5.  See  notes  on  No.  42.  With 
irpayyalia  cf.  the  demoniac  maladies  -viyaXiuv  and  7za.160KviK.Tp1a  cited  by 
Roscher,  Ephialtes,  55,  59- 

spun  spin  37:  10,  xp~n  18:  6,  with  assimilation  of  the  dental  top. 

01  snpnoi : Mandaic  form  of  the  fern.  pi.  The  best  interpretation  of  the 
line  is  that  the  mischief  wrought  to  the  embryo  was  charged  to  the  parents 
who  so  gained  the  ill-fame  of  infanticides.  Cf.  Ginza  ii,  98  (ed.  Norberg)  : 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


241 


“hence  have  arisen  the  abortive  ones  who  make  abortions  and  destroy  the 
foetus.”  The  epithets  are  in  the  singular,  being  used  distributively. 

5.  pbn:  i.  e.  the  deities  mentioned  above;  see  above  pp.  97,  99. 

6.  : “come  to  the  birth.”  Cf.  Rabbinic  NrpTi,  “midwife,”  and  the 
Syriac  Afel  used  of  the  function  of  midwives,  e.  g.  Peshitto  to  Ex.  1 : 16. 

HIT  KDEH:  the  antecedent  is  uncertain ; probably  the  charm  has  been  ab- 
breviated. 

7.  NQ’DJ:  for  NE^O?  Cf.  11  : 8. 

: the  'Pi  ois  the  common  Syriac  term  for  the  marriage 
chamber,  or  the  nuptials  in  general.  The  imperative  is  apparently  addressed 
like  the  preceding  imperative  to  the  demon  who  is  bidden  to  go,  if  she  dare, 
to  the  wedding,  and  there  partake  of  the  magic  foods  prepared  against  her. 

Nmp3:  the  Syriac  nekciya,  “libation.” 

the  spelling  represents  the  Syriac  fern.  impr. 

01  “[nr  . . . . : probably  a Persian  feminine  name  in  -duck,  the  bride’s 
name  to  be  filled  out  here.  The  following  word  is  obscure,  the  missing  rad- 
ical may  be  b. 


No.  37  (CBS  2943) 

nnj2[i  m2]  nnmx  nnaipD’xi  nn[m]  (2)  xi»n[bi  xniDjxb  xdx2  xjh  jb[t»] 

. . . (4)  nnm  D[’]n[n]  . . . [~i] 3 h“ixt5>  rA  pinn  n^n[’xi  ^21]  (3)  . . . [n]T>2 
xjx  pin  xn'3i  xrx  ...  (5)  xypix  m]  pnp'xpjD  m x'Dty  n xnbxi  nnb'O  b’ru  vitro 
xmi  b)3  by)  NnnDnsn  (6)  . . . [i>yi  xn!>2]2o  by)  xcnn  by  mmxn  [>12  by  pd’x 
kdkjjvs  xns’pn  xnAi>  ^12  by)  . . . (7)  [x]Ttr  ^12  i?yi  xmno'x  bv)  xhoin  ^yi 
pnx  xrjri  xpx^D  '’ixn  x^  . . . (8)  . . . 20  nnx  ♦ !vpoi  xj’ino  p.2^  . . . run 
xyotr  KoarPEn  mby  xvx  x . . . (9)  ni>  p^opi  pbrp  hi  ton  p xanm  net  dpi  rhGy 
xin  xpnvb  x.2.  . . (10)  . . . m xnn  xpntroi  xntr  ^221  ^2x  xn’22  2irp 
. . . Lmn  J1212X  ^ . . . xo6tr  xnpn’to  x.ai  xin  xto^.  xni2x  xnpnm  xamnoi 
xiy’toi  . . .2  X2t  xto^ty  xiytoi  xrop’a  xnnnonx  jtoi  xnon  xr6x  jto  xto^y  . . .(11) 

XT1J2  X^2H 


Translation 

Designated  is  this  bowl  for  the  [salvation  and]  healing  (2)  of  the  house 
and  threshold,  the  wife,  [the  sons  and]  daughters,  the  cattle,  (3)  [and  all 
that]  is  his,  and  whatsoever  shall  belong  to  Zaroi  son  of  . . . (4)  . . . con- 
firmed by  the  virtue  of  the  word  of  God,  the  Mystery  of  heaven  and  the 
Mystery  of  the  assembled  waters  and  the  Mystery  of  earth,  (5)  ...  of  this 
house  I will  enjoin  all  that  is  in  it, — Arts  and  the  Tormentor  (?)  (6)  . .. 
[and  the  Image-spirits]  of  idolatry,  and  all  the  Legions  and  the  Amulet- 
spirits  and  the  Ishtars  and  all  the  Demons  ...  (7)  ...  and  all  mighty  Liliths. 
A word  ...  I declare  unto  you,  which  receiving  . . . the  mysteries  of 
Angels  in  wrath  coming  against  him  and  with  sabres  and  sword  standing 
before  him  and  ready  to  kill  him.  (9)  ...  against  the  word  heard  (?). 
Lie  sits  in  the  house,  eating  and  devouring,  drinking  and  quaffing,  . . . (10) 

[a  slayer  of  ?]  children  is  he,  and  Master  named; is  he,  and  Jinn  ( ?) 

named.  Peace  . . . your  father  ...  (11)  ...  Peace  from  the  male  Gods  and 
from  the  female  Ishtars.  And  victorious  peace  is  set  in  . . . , and  destruction 
is  set  in  the  fire  . . . 


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243 


Commentary 

A badly  mutilated  bowl  with  much  of  the  inscription  illegible.  It  is  of 
pagan  origin ; in  the  name  of  God  the  Mystery  of  heaven,  water  and  earth, 
it  concludes  with  a pax  vobiscum  from  the  gods.  The  expression  “victorious 
peace,”  1.  n,  recalls  the  standing  Mandaic  doxology,  “Life  is  victorious,”  and 
the  threefold  division  of  the  universe  may  be  from  the  same  source.  The 
charm  is  against  a murderous  house  spirit  and  is  in  part  parallel  to  No.  36; 
here  the  demon  is  masculine  and  is  represented  as  carousing  upon  the  blood 
of  his  victims.  The  quarterings  of  the  circle  or  seal  in  the  center  contain 
letters  of  the  Tetragrammaton — apparently  n\ 

1 . JOftn : a Persian  word  noted  by  the  native  Syriac  lexicographers, 
and  neo-Syriac;  also  in  Pognon  B.  See  Noldeke,  Syr.  Gram.,  127. 

3.  vnt  : cf.  Zaroes,  name  of  a Magian,  and  Zaroi,  in  Firdausi;  the 
present  spelling  substantiates  Zar-  against  other  readings;  see  Justi,  p.  383. 

4.  name  of  the  Light-King  in  the  later  Mandaic  religion;  see 
Brandt,  Maud.  Rcl.,  47.  For  his  following  epithet  as  the  Mystery  of  heaven 
and  earth,  cf.  “the  Great  Mystery,”  who  is  the  helper  of  Hibil-Ziwa  in  his 
descent  to  hell,  Ginza  r.,  p.  140,  ed.  Petermann;  see  Brandt,  Mand.  Schr.,  143. 
For  the  pap  K’D  cf.  Gen.  1 : 10.  Other  “gods”  are  named  below. 

7.  Ol  NENOrPS:  resumes  1.  5. 

8.  ndnSe  ,*Nl:  either  in  appositional  sense,  NTtO  used  like  NlD'N,  see  p. 
p.  86,  or  '1  refers  to  the  magical  rites  conjuring  the  angels  who  are  called 
upon  against  the  evil  spirit. 

riiGy  : the  Rabbinic-Mandaic  preposition  of  plur.  form,  ‘elawe,  but 
with  suffix  attached  as  to  a singular  form;  cf.  roa,  “his  sons.” 

9.  NytDK’ : for  NjPDKk  the  incantation  heard?  The  following  ppls.  repre- 
sent the  carousing  of  the  demon  over  the  flesh  and  blood  of  his  victims. 
These  realistic  descriptions  were  in  themselves  regarded  as  prophylactic. 
b'aD  appears  to  be  denominative  verb  from  a noun  in  '£> , formed  to  rhyme 
with 

10.  xraHD  = a'Tft,  a perversion,  in  36:  4.  The  word  corresponds  to 
the  actual  Syriac  NJa’aa  tabescerc  faciens,  Payne-Smith,  col.  831. 

JOJ:  probably  NJ’3,  jinn,  see  p.  80. 

pai3N  : Mandaic  “your  father.” 


No.  38  (CBS  2941) 

■tnxurni  (3)  nnxum  rum  ruxu’m  n!>mni  mn  (2)  nm  txptoi  nt  tdi? 
nx:x  mmcy  nnxjm  rum  man  xix-im  ’xiri  ns  (4)  xrvruvn  nnun  xnxnxi 
nn^mun  xnxmnty  (6)  prutm  xoni>ni  -pnxapic?  pr6im  nxux  xrp^  ’xjx1  (5) 
x"n  xTibxi  (7)  pnpxm  P’xtxpu  xnx^  (erasure  xrp^)  'XJtimn  nmpsi 
muy  San  xdxSu  ’x-nymr  (8)  xannm  xnmpni  xnrny  xninbxn  xS'rn  xaiea 
xnxinoyi  (9)  xnmnm  x’rtnai]  xmayi  x’n^x  pn^n  X’moy  r^xta  bv  pxnxi> 
nrrm  }[oi]  (sic)  xn'UP’n  pi  xrmmn  run  x’uixni  x'nxn  xmxan  jvxua  j» 
xouxoai  xo’idi  xp’cy  pnxurn  pi  pnxjn  pi  |vx:3  pi  jvtxixt]  (10)  pi  noix  pi 
n^pucn  xrixaTiP  pm  mi  xa[nj>m]  (11)  . . . pxni  . . -ixi  x^nm  xrnoy  xbun 
pnSxminai  x'mxjxn  jvxnm  xnxyn  xnoin  pr6in  [x’jT’cy  ixnx  "ixnxa 

y 

x’mnxi  xmnmn  ph  xaixon  mrb  x'nin  xjnxni  xmoi  xcram  xSun  xTDy  (12) 
ns  xmnmm  mm^  x'mnxi  (13)  . . xmurrn  rua  x'uixmn  x'nxn  mmb 
p’xixiip  p’xma^  n^inn  xmom  xnxsnm  xnnxn  xmcx  x'txr  x’m  "xph 
[!>]y  ppsx^i  pi”x5>i  p’xnxa  x’mxjfx^i  (14)  pn]xurnl?i  t [mxu] m^i  p’xjai’i 
nnx:abi  p'xuy  ’xan  [ns  xnj’nmr^i  xmnmn  rua  x’lmxnn  xmxni  xaxnxc 

Exterior 
n”  tnp  (15) 

Translation 

Charmed,  armed  and  equipped  are  the  house,  (2)  the  dwelling  and 
mansion  and  barn,  and  the  sons  and  daughters,  (3)  and  the  cattle  and  house- 
hold vessels  of  Hinduitha  (4)  bath  Dodai  and  (of)  Marada,  even  her 
husband  and  her  sons  and  daughters. 

Charmed  art  thou,  (5)  Lilith  Yannai,  and  all  thy  Broods,  even  the  three 
hundred  and  sixty  (6)  Broods,  by  the  word  and  command  of  the  angel 
Negoznai,  by  the  mysteries  and  ordinance  (7)  of  the  living  God,  in  the  name 


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J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


245 


of  the  virtue  of  strong  and  mighty  Deity,  and  by  the  seal  (8)  of  the  angel 
Be'odai,  whose  word  none  transgresses. 

Charmed  are  all  the  Gods  and  Temple-spirits  and  Shrine-spirits  and 
Idol-spirits  (9)  and  Ishtars  from  the  body  of  Marabba  and  Zadoye  and 
Dazaunoye  sons  of  Hinduitha,  and  from  Hinduitha  and  from  her  house  and 
her  bed  and  from  (10)  their  [wives]  and  their  sons  and  their  daughters 
and  their  cattle. 

Charmed  and  confined  and  restrained  and  hobbled  is  the  mighty  Istar 

(11)  and  the  three  hundred  and  sixty  Broods,  which  I have  dismissed 

from  her  one  after  the  other. 

Charmed  are  all  the  Amulet-spirits  that  dwell  in  the  houses  of  men  and 
waste  them;  (12)  charmed  and  hobbled  and  suppressed  and  covered  and 
squeezed  under  the  foot  of  Marabba  bar  Hinduitha  and  under  the  foot  of 
Zadoye  and  Dazaunoye  sons  of  Hinduitha,  (13)  and  under  the  foot  of 
Hinduitha  b.  D.  And  life,  abundance,  health  and  arming  and  sealing  and 
protection  be  to  their  body,  and  their  wives  and  their  sons  and  their  daugh- 
ters and  their  cattle  (14)  and  the  people  of  their  houses,  both  those  entering 
and  departing  with  Marabba  and  Zadoye  and  Dazaunoye  sons  of  Hinduitha, 
and  with  Hinduitha  b.  D.  their  mother,  and  her  daughters. 

Exterior 

(15)  Holy  (?)  

Commentary 

For  the  language  and  script  of  this  and  the  following  Mandaic  bowls, 
see  § 7. 

A charm  executed  in  behalf  of  a certain  woman  and  her  husband.  The 
sons  with  their  families  are  included  by  name.  The  charm  is  particularly 
addressed  against  a specified  lilith,  with  whom  “the  mighty  Istar”  who  is 
named  later,  may  be  identical. 

1 . “House,  dwelling,”  etc. : these  four  terms  occur  in  Lidzb.  4 and  5. 
The  bavi  (which  is  found  in  the  Mandaic  literature  in  the  original  meaning) 
is  here  reduced  from  the  sense  of  “temple,  palace,”  as  in  Babylonian,  to  that 
of  a private  mansion.  The  word  also  appears  in  Hyvernat,  1.  15.  In  40:  4, 
NJiOra  is  the  cattle-barn ; in  general  perhaps  “outbuilding.” 


246 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


2.  run  for  the  plur.  w.  suffix,  see  Noldeke,  Maud.  Gram.,  § 144. 

3.  xnxuvn  : “cattle”;  it  occurs  in  the  sense  of  “wild  beast,”  in  39:  6; 
singular  xnvn. 

xnxjx:  the  singular  would  be  the  equivalent  of  the  Assyrian  dnu, 
“vessel,  = Heb.  ux  and  Arabic  inaun.  The  word  is  otherwise  unknown  in 
Aramaic,  having  been  replaced  by  the  derivative  man.  In  the  Talmud  vessels 
are  favorite  abodes  of  the  demons.  One  is  tempted  to  regard  the  word  as 
a plural  of  toy,  “sheep,”  but  for  the  following  “of  the  house.” 

xrmrn : i.  e.  “Indian  woman”;  cf.  run,  nrn,  24:  1;  40:  16. 

4.  >xnin  nn,  Nos.  15,  21. — Nnxno=  mar,  “lord”  + Adda;  a form  of 
Hadad ; or  the  first  element  may  be  the  deity  Mar,  Bir,  etc.  (see  Clay. 
Amurru,  95),  so  that  the  name  is  equivalent  to  the  ancient  Damascene  name 
Tima  (as  in  Pognon’s  Zakar  inscription),  the  Biblical  Benhadad.  With 
inexact  construction,  M.  is  the  husband.  For  1 . . . 1 = “both,  and,”  cf. 
1.  14. 

6.  '’XiWU  : so  the  probable  reading.  Notice  from  the  erasure  that 
“lilith”  and  “angel”  are  interchangeable  titles  for  this  being.  Cf.  the  Lilith 
’XJtu  , 40 : 17. 

finpxa:  of  same  root  as  xmpa,  with  assimilation  of  n with  n;  see 
Noldeke.  p.  44.  The  original  formation  is  that  of  the  Syriac  noun  pakadta. 

8.  \XTiy3:  a corruption  of  Sx’Tay? — For  x,-nay  and  Nona  see  p.  72  f. 
The  second  word  is  supplied  from  40:  4. 

9.  xtnXD:  1.  14  xax-ixo,  in  1.  12  with  the  second  X caretted ; an  old  tlieo- 

phorous  name  = 3X  -)-  (or  X3"i  -f-  ?) 

X’HXT  : Persian  Zadoe,  see  Justi.  p.  378,  quoting  a name  of  the  fifth 
century. 

X'U'tXH  : Persian  name  of  a Syrian  monk  of  the  seventh  century,  ibid. 
82. 

10.  XO'iD:  original  root  ona  (see  Noldeke,  § 45)  ; the  verb  is  found  in 
the  bowls  of  Pognon  and  Lidzbarski,  and  defines  the  word  as  used  in  the 
Mandaic  literature,  thus  relieving  Noldeke’s  doubt.  Cf.  a like  series  of 
passive  ppls.  at  end  of  Lidzb.  4. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


247 


KOJKDD:  the  reading  is  almost  certain,  but  I cannot  identify  the  root; 
probably  an  error  for  KDPNDO,  as  in  40:  21. 

xb''Jn : a denominative  from  bjl,  = Rabbinic  . cf.  the  Arabic 
ragala,  “strike,  tie  (a  sheep)  on  the  foot."  The  word  occurs  in  Lidzb.  4. 

11.  nbp’nty:  the  passage  is  identical  with  40:  22,  except  for  the  latter’s 
reading,  nb’p'HE’,  “which  I have  dismissed  from  him” ; the  present  text  is  to 
be  so  interpreted.  For  the  form  see  Noldeke,  § 170. 

pnpNmnD  = 40:  23.  For  the  fern.  pi.  in  N,  see  ibid.,  162. 

12.  N2'D  = ndtid,  cf.  ibid.  63;  the  Pael  in  7:  17. 

NJnXD  : I can  suggest  only  the  root  Jt2y,  found  in  the  Rabbinic  ptoy, 
“olive-press”;  but  according  to  Noldeke,  § 45,  V is  persistent  in  Mandaic. 
N’UlKnni : error  by  dittography  for  'HI . 

13.  N'TNT:  the  Assyrian  zazu,  abundance”,  Muss-Arnolt,  Ass.  Hwb. 
i,  277,  and  identical  with  the  Targumic  NTNt,  “foliage,”  Targum  Job  14:  9. 
An  archangel  Zaziel  appears  in  a papyrus  published  by  Wessely,  xlii,  65, 

1.  42. 

NriNonn  : for  Nnosnn . 

14.  K'nxn  : with  change  of  construction  from  the  preposition  by  ; cf. 
Noldeke,  § 222. — For  omission  of  relative  after  see  p.  39. 

15.  (Exterior)  Tp  is  sure,  perhaps  BHp. 


No.  39  (CBS  9005) 


(3)  [n]~iaEi  . . .21  n^inn  (2)  xmoji  Knonn[i  s]nnsn  ndidk 

wik-’W  KToy  n^ns  nhds  anno  «n’oy  (4)  «n*n  n[s  n»]yfi  KDrpn  roctoi 
Knx^'i’  [snj’Dyi  joe»[N-nn]  snan  n’Ih  iOTDy  kinski  xn^syiBo  (5) 
(7)  k’dnd  K’JNrm  N’tya  toyox  [xnr-ijn  xn’cy  xmtyKTin  NDKapu  (6) 
inn  (8)  x'Tpi  Nntyoi  Nunn  x’anim  K'Dpalxn  x'jxan  nxrm  N'tya  xnxn 
KToy  xnxn  ns  N’»-vn  [n]oy[n  xjDnnan  n:osai  nSy  jn  x'nn 
ixvoy  nnxnx  ns  xnxnn  jn.a  nbx’OKTon  xn’b'b  xi'Dy  xmp.Da  (9)  nbx'OXTDi 
N’Dsh  N’JNimai  x’o^ns  xbxTBtOion  ^yn  xnxrxD  (10)  xnxmn  pn^a 
Kniox  Din  . . . [xa]5>o  taS  }[io]'6eh  (11)  xn[pp]ya  K'D'nni  xn’Dy  xcxo'xn 
ns  [x'ovn  n]oyn  (12)  [xonjnan  n^Kmo^i  hjdxs^  nbnnn  xn»nm  xnnxn 

[x'njxn 


Translation 

Health  and  arming  and  sealing  and  protection  (2)  be  for  . . . and  the 
body  and  soul  (3)  and  the  unborn  child  and  womb  of  Bardesa  whose 
mother  is  the  daughter  of  Dade.  (4)  Charmed  are  the  Sorcery-spirits  in 
stocks  of  iron;  charmed  the  Lilith  (5)  in  chains  of  lead;  charmed  the 
empoisoning  male  Devils  and  charmed  the  empoisoning  female  Liliths; 
(6)  charmed  [the  arts  of?]  evil  men  and  hostile  Beasts,  (7)  and  evil 
Mysteries  and  the  (magic)  Circle  of  malignant  Masters  and  Sages  and 
Doctors,  and  the  melting  of  Wax  figures  (8)  of  him  who  is  alive:  from  the 
unborn  child  and  womb  of  Bardesa  whose  mother  is  Terme  b.  D. 

Charmed  the  Lilith  that  appears  to  her  (9)  in  . . . ; charmed  the  Lilith 
that  appears  to  her  in  [shape?]  of  Tata  her  sister’s  daughter;  charmed  all 
the  defiling  Ghosts  ( 10)  that  have  entered,  which  appear  to  her  in  Dreams 
of  night  and  in  Visions  of  day;  charmed  and  sealed  with  the  seal  of  (11) 
King  Solomon. 

Again : Health  and  arming  and  sealing  be  for  the  womb  and  the 
parturition  of  Bardesa  (12)  whose  mother  is  Terme  b.  D. 


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J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


249 


Commentary 

A charm  for  a pregnant  woman.  I may  compare  the  mortuary  incan- 
tation published  by  me  in  JAOS,  1911,  272,  no.  1,  which  includes  prayers 
for  the  unborn  child,  Pibiy,  of  the  petitioner.  From  1.  4 the  present  charm 
is  very  similar  to  that  in  Pognon  A. 

2.  N'T  NT : so  in  Pognon  B,  in  Lidzb.  5,  yTNl;  a feminine  form  in  -e,  cf. 
N'tOl'n,  1.  8 (the  mother’s  name,  overlooked  here).  Cf.  HTNT,  12:  2. 

4.  N’TriD:  also  Pognon  A.  In  the  Mandaic  appear  the  NiriND,  “sorcer- 
ers,” Norberg,  Onom.,  no.  For  the  meaning  cf.  Ass.  sdhiru;  in  this  sense 
the  root  is  not  otherwise  found  in  Rabbinic  and  Syriac. 

'2  N'TND : Pognon’s  text,  NHTND  (to  be  cited  to  Noldeke,  § 89,  ia), 

5.  NTN3N:  the  Syriac  N"ON  was  used  for  “lead”  and  “tin,”  according  to 
the  Syriac  lexicographers,  who  postulate  a distinction  between  abdrd  and 
abrd,  or  abdrd  and  ebdrd  but  dispute  which  word  is  applied  to  which  metal 
(Payne-Smith,  col.  19).  Both  lead  and  tin  were  used  in  magic,  the  former 
especially  in  the  KardSeaf/oi , like  the  love-charm  from  Fladrumetum,  the 
Cypriote  defixiones  ( SPBA , xiii,  160,  etc.),  and  cf.  Index  to  Wessely,  xlii, 
p6/u/3ov,  et  seq.;  tin  was  equally  used,  like  all  the  metals,  ibid.,  KaaoiTCfjivov , 
and  a case  in  the  Testament  of  Solomon  where  tin  is  atropaic,  JQR,  ix,  584. 
Hence  we  cannot  positively  decide  whether  our  abdr  is  lead  or  tin ; but  the 
weight  of  the  former  metal  may  better  suit  the  symbolism  of  the  language. 
— As  to  the  meaning  of  the  Assyrian  abar  Assyriologists  are  at  variance. 
Lenormant,  in  TSBA,  vi,  337  f.,  346,  argues  correctly  from  the  alloy 
mentioned  in  iv  R no.  2,  rev.  17,  that  abar  = lead  and  anaku  = tin.  How- 
ever Sayce,  Archaeology  of  the  Cuneiform  Inscriptions,  p.  60,  denies  that 
the  Sumerian  or  Assyrian  word  for  tin  is  known.  Lyon,  in  his  Keilschrift- 
texte  S argons,  53,  82,  makes  anaku  — lead  (eft.  Heb.  ”pN)  and  leaves  abar 
untranslated.  Hilprecht  and  Haupt,  on  basis  of  chemical  analysis,  find 
that  abar  is  used  of  magnesite,  Hilprecht,  Assyriaca,  80  ff.,  83.  rnsy, 
the  Hebrew  equivalent  of  the  Aramaic  N12N,  is  “lead.”  The  Syriac  ’dneka 
is  “tin,”  whereas  its  Hebrew  equivalent  *pN , “plummet”  rather  suggests 
the  heavier  metal  lead.  The  Flebrew  for  “tin”  is  bny,  which  however 
in  Zech.  4:  10  may  rather  be  “lead.”  This  confusion  between  lead  and  tin 
in  the  same  word  is  paralleled  by  the  ambiguous  use  of  plumbum  in  Latin; 


250 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


p.  nigrum  is  lead,  and  p.  candidum  tin;  see  Pliny  H.  N.,  xxxiv,  47  (ed. 
Weise,  1841);  so  also  in  Arabic.  The  different  vocalizations  ’ abrd  and, 
may  vs.  ’obdrd,  and  Pleb.  ’anak  z>s.  Syr.  ’dneka,  appear  to  be  attempts  at 
differentiation,  may,  apparently  “lead,”  appears  in  W.  T.  Ellis’s  bowl-text, 
which  I have  edited  in  JAOS,  1912,  434. 

5.  {Outrun  : amendment  after  Pognon’s  parallel,  but  with  the  form 
found  in  1.  6. 

/L|  an  inadvertent  repetition. 

6.  Nnsy’snn  for  the  adjectival  formation,  see  Noldeke,  Maud.  Gram., 

§ io5- 

N^NTTi : possibly  absolute  pi.  (-a  from  -an)  ; or  a masc.  plural  form,  cf. 
xnmn,  38:  11. 

7.  nxrn:  (n.  b.  construct)  for  nxnn  , as  in  S'-n'T,  see  Noldeke,  ibid., 
§ 46.  I interpret  the  word  of  the  magic  circle,  part  of  the  dreaded  arts  of 
the  necromancer ; see  p.  88. 

Oi  XON21  : sorcerers  are  by  tradition  “Doctors.” 

N'Ti-h  '»  may  be  inf.  Peal  of  totr,  or  better,  in  agreement  with 

the  context,  Pael  ppl.  plur ; i.  e.  “dissolution,”  or  “dissolvers.”  ;P  is  “wax” 
in  Rabbinic,  “pitch"  in  Syriac  and  Mandaic,  at  least  according  to  the  refer- 
ences in  Payne-Smith  and  Norberg.  “Pitch”  might  be  the  translation  here, 
but  comparing  the  plural  with  the  Greek  wpoi  and  the  Latin  ccrai,  I have 
related  the  word  to  the  well-known  use  of  wax  in  Hellenistic  magic.  Any 
plastic  substance  might  be  used  for  these  simulacra  of  the  enemy  in 
Babylonian  sorcery.  Tallquist  enumerates  clay,  pitch,  honey,  tallow,  dough 
(Maklu,  19,  and  see  his  note  to  ZAL.  LU,  p.  119)  ; so  also  Fossey,  Magic 
ass.,  80.  Wax  does  not  seem  to  be  identified  among  those  substances, 
though  Jastrow  and  Thompson  speak  of  wax  as  used.  Assyrian  kirn  or 
kirn  (see  Muss-Arnolt,  p.  432)  = pitch.  Is  the  Latin-Greek  word  from 
the  same  origin,  the  term  having  undergone  extensive  modification  in 
meaning?  Its  etymology  is  uncertain,  see  A.  Walde,  Lateinischcs  etymolo- 
gischcs  Wortcrbuch 2,  1910,  v.  cera.  For  the  use  of  wax  in  western  magic, 
see  the  ample  notes  and  bibliography  in  Abt,  Die  Apologia  d.  Apuleius,  82. 

X’m  in:  cf.  the  isolated  instance  given  by  Noldeke,  p.  344. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


251 


8.  N’DTD : the  first  letter  is  conjectured  from  a mere  remnant;  possibly 

Oep/iia  2 

9.  In  this  line  a definite  family  ghost  appears.  NniDH  is  used  in  like 
sense  in  earlier  bowls,  e.  g.  7 : 14.  The  word  before  Nnxn  is  unintelligible. 

Nnttn : cf.  the  feminine  name  Tata  in  Strassmeier,  Inschriften  von 
Darius,  no.  25,  12;  also  Tatta-dannu,  Strassmeier,  Inschriften  von  Nabon- 
idus,  no.  343,  8,  and  Tatu,  etc.  in  Johns,  Assyrian  Deeds,  450,  Clay,  BE,  x, 
Glossary;  ’13X0  25:  1. 

10.  : I connect  this,  as  a participle,  with  the  root  J'D,  Arabic 
sana,  which  does  not  appear  as  a verb  in  Syriac ; from  it  comes  the  Syriac 
seydna,  “dirt,”  and  with  the  same  is  to  be  connected  the  Hebrew  J1ND, 
“shoe.”  The  same  word,  masc.  and  fern.,  occurs  in  Pognon  A,  p.  40,  which 
he  would  derive  from  NJD  “hate,”  but  without  explanation  of  the  form. 
It  might,  if  a singular  instance,  be  an  error  forNnx^ND.  However  n.  b. 
that  in  Sachau’s  Elephantine  papyri  occurs  the  metathesis  |ND  for  tOD, 
Pap.  57:  2,  58:  16. 

by : 3d  fem.  pi.  of  bb? . 

S'BK':  a mistake,  corrected  by  the  next  word.  The  same  note  is  to  be 
made  upon  in  1.  1 1. 

11.  Din:  doubtless  = Din,  “again,”  so  often  found  on  our  bowls.  Thus 
Noldeke’s  explanation  of  Din  in  the  Mandaic  literature  {Aland.  Gram.,  204) 
is  confirmed. — n^Ntio  for  the  form,  see  ibid.,  § 67. 


No.  40  (CBS  2971) 

nntom  xnDn  (3)  nm  mxn  mas!’  n^inn  xnnn  (2)  khidni  x^m  pNoirn 
xtayi  xnn  xrnn  xnon  xnxoxvm  xaxmDfi]  (4)  mam  mm  nmxDi  xnxapi: 
xm  xPx  (6)  ns’bsrDiDi  nntrx  xm  p Knjx[no]  rd  i-ixddxt  (5)  mirn 


.13  xnno  id  xnx’^  . . . mxm  xrdj  krjxro  id  irxdd  rdxdd  pDrmDni  (12) 
. . . smoD  d xnonm  xnnn  xjvidxi  xm  p tnaxno  rd  (13)  irxdd  nrpxan 
xrijr  xRom  xaxnm  n^D’R  mm  (14)  nmxDi  xnxapu  nnxm  xnan  [run] 
maa^  15)  n[^i]nn  xmcxi  X”R  is  [tanjxno  rd  irxddxr  x’]’R  x~nrn  xtayi 

nimni  mni  nn’XDi  x[dxdpij]  nnxaai  xnan  njD' 


Exterior 


xnD’t  nm  mxti  irxdd  maai  n^inn  xnioxi  xm  p nam  ns  'krixidi  (16) 
rd  irxddxr  (17)  nnx’axi’m  naxmai  nirnm  [mm  nrpxDi  xnxDpia  nnxani] 
pn'ci  xor6m  ...  [xnxRnDy]  ppm  xrvW  ’xaTiD  nxax  nnny  xm  p tanaxno 
xim  ...  pxmpaDi  xm  x^x  ivx^xrd  xdx^d  ’xatiD  nna  na  nnPaoD  (IS)  xjrxdrid’ 
s’Tcy  n^o  ^y  rxdxP  tmy  biDR  xdxSo  xirrr  xonna  xann  (19)  'xatn  nxib 
pi  mxt  [si  maa  io  xnxRnD’y[i]  (20)  xnnai  xmayi  . . . [x'n^1  pniuD] 
rd  irxddxr  nafxmD  ioi]  n^D’n  pi  mi]~  ioi  nn[’XD  |o]i  nnxaa  pi  naa 
prptn  xor6m  . . . [m]Dy  xb'[a]Ri  xdrddi  xo[noi  x]R'Dy  BPaxno  (21) 
xnxtan  xnoin  pn>ia  [xmoy  Rxn]x  rxjrxd  . . .a  n^'pny[i]  (22)  xnxan-t? 
...xmnoi  xaxoD  XD’Di  ...[x]b”DD1  [xTaRi  x]R'D[y]  p>xaRno[i]  (23)  irxrpxaa 
di  nrvxa  (25)  x[nx]apia  nnxaai  xnan  naai  . . . run  xrdir  (24)  ma[a  p] 
xm  p tan  ax  no  rd  [irxddx]r  nnxn[xi’]n  (szV)  naxmai  nSapni  n]mi 


JX'DXT  xmi  (26) 


Translation 

In  the  name  of  Life! — that  health  (2)  and  armament  be  to  the  body 
and  wife  and  male  sons  (3)  and  female  daughters,  and  the  house  and 


(252) 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


253 


abode,  the  mansion  (4)  and  the  barn  of  the  cattle,  the  ass,  bull  and  goat, 
the  property  of  (5)  Xaro  bar  Mehanos,  from  Life. 

I swear  and  adjure  you  (6)  by  Life. 


(12)  and  I have  broken  you  in  the  gate  of  Xaro  b.  M.,  the  man  and  his 
wife.  [Health  and  protection,  etc.,  from]  the  Liliths,  when  they  appear  in 
the  house  of  Xaro  (13)  b.  M.,  from  Life.  And  health  and  armament  and 
healing  and  guarding  [be  to  ] the  male  sons  and  female  daughters  and  the 
house  (14)  and  dwelling  and  mansion  and  the  barn  of  the  ass,  bull  and 
goat,  the  live  (?)  property  of  [Xaro  b.  M.],  from  Life.  And  health  and 
armament  (15)  be  to  the  body  and  the  male  sons  and  female  daughters  and 
the  house  and  dwelling  and  mansion  of  ( 16)  Merathe  daughter  of  Hindu, 
from  Life.  And  health  be  to  the  body  of  Xaro  . . . and  the  wife  and  male 
sons  [and  female  daughters  and  the  house  and  dwelling]  and  mansion  and 
building  and  cattle  (17)  of  Xaro  b.  M.,  from  Life. 

Charmed  art  thou,  Lilith  Buznai,  and  all  the  goddesses  . . . and  the 
three  hundred  and  sixty  Tribes,  (18)  by  the  word  of  the  granddaughter 
of  the  angel  Buznai,  by  the  adjuration  ( ?)  of  Life,  and  by  the  command 
of  . . . who  is  ( ?)  with  the  mighty  Buznai,  (19)  by  the  seal  of  the  angel 
Darwa  (?),  whose  word  none  transgresses.  Charmed  are  a [11  the  gods 
...  and]  temple-spirits  and  shrine-spirits  (20)  and  goddesses  from  the 
body  and  the  wife  and  sons  and  daughters  and  the  house  and  dwelling  and 
mansion  and  barn  of  Xaro  b.  (21)  M.  Charmed,  shut  up  and  confined  and 
hobbled  is  the  Ish[tar]  . ..,  and  the  three  hundred  and  sixty  Tribes,  (22) 
which  I have  dismissed  from  him  . . . one  after  [the  other.  Charmed]  are 
all  Amulet-spirits  which  lodge  in  their  houses  (23)  and  devastate  them. 
Charmed  [and  hobbled]  and  suppressed  and  covered  is  the  Satan  ( ?)  and 
the  Plague  . . . [from]  the  body  (24)  of  the  man  and  his  wife  ...  and  the 
male  sons  and  the  female  daughters,  (25)  the  house  and  dwelling  and 
mansion  and  the  barn  for  cattle,  of  Xaro  b.  M.,  from  Life.  (26)  And  Life 
is  victorious ! 

Commentary 

A long  and  repetitious  charm  for  a certain  man  and  his  family  and 
property,  including  the  several  kinds  of  live-stock.  About  half  of  the 
inscription  is  found  on  the  exterior. 


254 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYEONIAN  SECTION. 


I . With  the  same  invocation  begin  the  sections  of  the  Ginza,  also  some 
of  Pognon’s  bowls. 

XJYiDXi : for  l of  purpose,  see  the  like  phrase  in  Pognon,  e.  g.  no.  14, 
and  Noldeke,  Maud.  Gram.,  § 293. 

4.  XJX’J’a:  as  the  regimen  shows,  the  barn. 

Nittn : i.  e.  hemrd,  also  cited  by  Syriac  lexicographers,  see  Payne-Smith, 
ad  loc.,  and  used  as  a collective  plural,  Noldeke,  Syr.  Gram.,  91.  The  follow- 
ing word  was  written  smn,  1 was  then  caretted  above,  and  finally  the  word 
rewritten. 

XTJy  : to  be  added  to  Noldeke’s  instances,  Mand.  Gram.,  § 68,  and  now 
found  in  Sachau’s  recently  published  papyri  from  Elephantine,  TJy  is  found 
in  names  of  certain  goat-species,  Payne-Smith,  col.  2934. 

xmn  : for  'Vn,  cf.  Noldeke,  ibid.,  § 47.  The  word  is  used  like  the 
Talmudic  "i>‘n,  “private  property,”  see  Jastrow,  Diet.,  s.  v.  In  1.  14  it  is 
supplemented  apparently  by  N,,n,  = “livestock.” 

5.  nXD3  : evidently  an  old  Persian  name  in  Koseform;  cf.  Avseri, 
Xsayarsa,  Artavsathra,  Justi,  pp.  12,  173,  34.  The  X in  '3X1,  here  and  again 
below,  represents  the  vowel  of  the  prefix,  before  the  vowelless  first  radical. 

tnjxno  = Meh  = Mithra,  plus  Anos,  a Persian  genius,  Justi,  pp.  208, 
1 7- 

X'Ti  }D  : the  long  period  which  this  phrase  concludes  is  paralleled  below. 

ps’xSx : this  ancient  and  full  form  of  the  preposition  appears  in  Pognon 
B,  but  not  in  Noldeke,  under  § 159. 

6.  X"n  xSx:  cf.  1.  18,  X^n  X^X  ;rx^X“n.  X = the  preposition  just  noted, 
and  is  used  uniquely  with  a verb  of  swearing,  where  in  the  Semitic  3 
is  found.  Cf.  the  Greek  i-i , representing,  as  in  the  English  “swear  on  the 
Bible,”  the  primitive  action  of  laying  the  hand  on  the  sacred  object. 

16.  Tixm  ?■ — 17.  ’XJm  : cf.  ’X3TU3,  38:  6. 

18.  This  antagonism  of  Buznai’s  granddaughter  to  herself  is  evidently 
a case  of  casting  out  devils  by  Beelzebub.  The  sorcerer  affects  that  he  has 
received  from  one  of  her  brood  the  proper  charms  by  which  to  bind  her. 
Observe  interchange  of  X3X^D  with  xrrbv. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


255 


Ol  JINK'D  : ‘‘by  that  which  is  upon,”  i.  e.  “by  the  adjuration  of”  Life. 
For  the  redoubled  preposition,  see  Noldeke,  § 231  b.  For  the  phrase,  see 

to  1.  6. 

P’NmpS:  for  the  sing,  with  JVN — , see  ibid.,  § 146. 

23.  NJXC2D  : but  a feminine  is  demanded. 

NDintD:  in  agreement  with  the  Syriac;  cf.  Nnno,  16:  6;  in  the  Ginza, 

Nivno. 

26.  N’Tl : the  same  doxological  formula  in  Pognon,  B,  no.  22, 

and  Lidzb.  5. 


APPENDIX 


No.  41  (CBS  179) 

This  text  is  unique,1  being  inscribed  on  the  top  of  a human  skull. 
Enough  is  legible  to  indicate  that  it  is  a magical  inscription,  doubtless  of 
the  same  order  as  those  on  the  bowls.  The  skull  is  remarkably  well  pre- 
served, and  though  badly  shattered,  almost  all  the  pieces  have  been  recov- 
ered. But  the  text  is  sadly  worn  and  obscured  through  the  shaling  of  the  sur- 
face, and  only  a few  detached  words  are  legible.  There  are  two  inscriptions, 
one  running  across  the  length  of  the  left-hand  side  of  the  top,  from  front  to 
back  and  also  filling  up  some  space  in  the  forward  part  of  the  right-hand 
side.  The  other,  shorter,  inscription  is  at  the  back  of  the  right-hand  side, 
at  right  angles  to  the  central  suture. 

In  the  first  line  of  the  longer  text  are  visible  the  words,  xn^,  pirn; 
in  the  second  nn  rox  , indicating  an  address  to  the  evil  spirit.  The  fol- 
lowing names  are  visible:  "pis,  cf.  5:  1;  (?)  bxK>  p ’3TID,  also  spelt  'ID, 
“Mordecai  ben  Saul”;  and  a woman’s  name  (evidently  the  wife  of  the 
first-named  man — - r6jn  can  be  read  in  one  place),  ’BDJ,  so  the  almost  certain 
reading.  I take  the  name  to  be  a feminine  hypocoristic  in  -ai  to  be  connected 
with  Gathaspar,  in  the  Bxcerpta  barbara  to  Eusebius  (ed.  Schoene,  i,  app. 
228),  one  of  the  three  Wise  Men,  the  later  Gaspar  (Caspar,  Jaspar),  con- 
nected by  philologists  with  the  Old-Persian  Windafarna;  Justi,  p.  368. 

The  use  of  a skull  for  recording  a magical  inscription  opens  up  an 
interesting  line  of  magical  practice.  The  skull  has  become  part  of  the  stock 
apparatus  of  the  necromancer,  and  its  use  in  that  connection  is  typical  of 
his  power  over  the  dead,  while  the  presence  of  the  gruesome  object  adds 
to  the  awe  in  which  he  is  held.  But  all  through  magic  runs  the  morbid 
theme  of  the  use  of  mortuary  remains.  In  the  Greek  love  charms,  the 
texts  are  buried  in  the  graveyard;  in  the  magic  brews  for  compelling  love, 

1 This  statement  must  now  be  qualified,  as  I learn  through  Professor  Ranke  that 
two  similar  skulls  are  in  the  Berlin  Museum. 

(256) 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


257 


human  bones  are  used,  and  in  a late  Arabic  charm  a broom  from  a cemetery 
has  efficacy  in  bringing  the  beloved  to  the  lover’s  side  (see  to  No.  28). 
Cf.  the  burial  of  Pognon’s  bowls  in  a cemetery.  Primitive  animistic  beliefs 
have  survived,  which  connect  the  skeleton  with  the  world  of  spirits ; it  is 

a material  point  d'appui,  and  the  skull  is  especially  preferred  as  the  most 

striking  and  perhaps  most  durable  part  of  the  anatomy.  It  may  be  noticed 
that  in  Arabic  the  word  for  skull  is  also  used  of  the  soul  (Wellh.  Skizzen, 
3,  p.  161,  164), 2 There  is  a reference  in  the  Talmud  to  the  necromantic 
use  of  a skull;  Sank.  65b:  ‘’there  are  two  kinds  of  necromancy  (31N  Syn), 

the  one  where  the  dead  is  raised  by  naming  him,  the  other  where  he  is 

asked  by  means  of  a skull  ( ?NKOn).”  Joel  ( Aberglaube , i,  44) 

thinks  this  refers  to  some  artificial  skull-shaped  object;  but  our  actual 
skull  illustrates  the  practice  noticed  in  the  Talmud.  The  use  of  skulls 
( calvaria ) in  classical  magic  is  also  vouched  for  in  the  Apology  of  Apuleius ; 
see  Abt,  p.  141.  For  this  practice  of  “speaking  skulls,”  we  may  note  its 
special  vogue  among  the  Sabians;  see  Chwolson,  Die  Ssabier,  ii,  150,  and 
Dozy  and  de  Goeje,  Actcs  of  the  Leyden  (6th)  Congress  of  Orientalists,  ii, 
365  f.,  cf.  293. 

But  the  skull  was  also  efficacious  as  a prophylactic  object.  James  of 
Edessa  notes  that  a dried  human  head  was  used  by  the  heathen  Syrians 
as  an  amulet  (quoted  by  Robertson  Smith,  Religion  of  the  Semites,  362, 
referring  to  Kayser’s  edition  of  the  Canones,  p.  142).  Especially  as  part  of 
the  skeleton  was  it  efficacious  against  the  evil  eye ; see  Seligmann,  Dcr  hose 
Blick,  ii,  141,  who  notes  the  use  in  Italy  of  a tiny  skull-charm  against  the 
Jettatura,  and  also  the  use  among  the  ancient  Taurians  and  the  tribes  of 
Caucasus  of  the  heads  of  enemies  stuck  on  poles  as  a prophylactic ; also 
Elworthy,  The  Evil  Eye,  340,  notes  the  use  of  skeleton-like  figures  as 
talismans  in  Italy;  he  finds  the  same  talisman  in  classic  times,  comparing 
King,  Gnostics  and  their  Remains,  213  (ed.  2,  180).  The  skull  therefore 
falls  into  the  general  category  of  frightful  or  obscene  objects,  which  had 
the  power  of  repelling  the  evil  eye  in  particular  and  evil  spirits  in  general. 

2 Dr.  Speck,  of  the  Museum,  informs  me  that  the  North  American  Indians 
carefully  preserve  the  skulls  of  the  animals  they  hunt,  as  a means  of  the  reincarna- 
tion of  the  beasts,  and  I understand  like  customs  are  found  over  the  world. 


No.  42 


Towards  the  close  of  my  work  on  this  volume,  Professor  Richard 
Gottheil,  who  had  several  years  ago  thought  of  publishing  the  bowls, 
kindly  forwarded  me  some  notes  and  transcriptions  which  he  had  made  in 
his  preliminary  essays.  Among  the  papers  was  the  copy  of  a text  which 
is  not  now  found  in  the  Museum.  It  differed  so  radically  from  the  other 
inscriptions  that  I inquired  of  Prof.  Gottheil  if  it  was  taken  from  a bowl. 
He  replied  that  he  knew  of  no  other  source  whence  the  text  could  have 
come  into  his  set  of  papers.  Accordingly  on  the  hypothesis  that  the  original 
text  was  once  in  the  Museum,  I venture  to  publish  Prof.  Gottheil's  copy, 
and  do  so  the  more  readily  because  of  its  interesting  character  and  the  illus- 
tration it  affords  to  several  points  in  the  texts  above.  It  contains  a form 
of  the  Lilith  legend,  widespread  in  folklore,  and  a bowl  would  have  been 
a perfectly  proper  place  for  a text  of  this  prophylactic  character.  I have 
not  however  included  the  text  in  my  Glossaries. 


rr^  i”“  nmonp  mrr  cnx  p£:ood  oje 
the  “6m  run  x’E:n  rn^x  • ivb  mpi  ti  lotrsy  Q’EinEn  : 


!pi  nx 

toion 

mm  nxco  nE^in 

nx  ;x 

n^  nox  nSn  nE 

nn^vn 

n’E^ 

nE^in  ’e;x  vm^x 

: minx 

ii>  noxni  iyni  • 

mo!> 

nL 

on  nnS  nx  nnp!?i 

mon 

nmty  n!>  nn^>  n:in 

I^epe! 

5 PET] 

b“i  X’E:n  im^x 

n^  nox 

pi  ipe’e  nx  ann^i 

’ijd 

2tJ>V  m^X  CE'E 

!>eei  nyrnn  m^E  ysm 
E’pi’in  c'xoo  ro 
nr  nmxm  o'n  nnxpmo 
rniovy  mo  nvo^i  ion 


iyo^>  )b  noxm  jym  • non 
onEnn  Eiry^>  i’xntm  m^x 
on’Droty  jot  ^ei  Pnn^  pc 
jn  i5>xi  pnn^i  ynn^  he 
: i^x  : itse’x  : mix  e 


im!>x  n!>  E’crn 


non  pxei  non  nmvy  "pEm  Dtyn  nxo  enriE 
□e’E  yEE’xi  n*nx  pjxi  cnnn  jo  pmnn 
iooi  ni^  ni>un  nn^ioi  mxrn  (.rzV)  r\r\bv  no  ibx 
ns  ^ei  ^ no'  x^  mEinE  ’nioty  nx  nxn  mx  ix 
’pn  tamox  : np'EX  . pepex  : mW  : 'moy 
on^n  : ^p  : nnnoty  : noppEX  : nonoo 


“E’on 


(258) 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


259 


ann  'nba  •>”  qb>3  na  bib)  “[yoyo  onri  n!>  *1*3 ni  b"i  K’3M 

KHpn  nrm  D’Jeix  D’Ensy  nntyy  dboi  ncynpn  iru’scy  3^31  nipyi  pny  Dm3» 
n«  pnn^  i^h  naa  xh  ns  s^  s^y  n"3  mxavn  ’n^s  npm  min  nsD  mew 
n^i  rrnexy  no  m»!>  s^  ion  ns  mne^  s^  n^un  m>i  ns  is  nstn  mi>vn 
icp  in’ppyi  inno  n"De»3  s^i  jnnax  :"ra  xb  ere  vvb  sh  ntya  ns  onnS 
^snon  joy  ynp  era  cnn  'o  ns  trains  s^i  coyn  ’aaia  ns  -itscb  n^io'’  naw 

i>snoy 

Accompanying  the  text  are  given  some  inscribed  designs  and  phrases. 
A rough  figure  of  a hand  (prophylactic  against  the  evil  eye)  contains  the 
Aramaic  legend : 

xya  say  ma  sohy  sbi  snns  (=  sn  ?)  sp  spin  ,yno  sjs  : 

“I  am  the  seed-producer  (?)  of  Joseph;  when  I come,  an  evil  year  cannot 
prevail  over  him,” — a play  of  thought  between  Joseph  as  controller  of  the 
fertility  of  Egypt  and  the  fertility  of  the  family,  and  as  a good  omen  for 
the  expectant  mother. 

A ‘‘David’s  Shield”  contains  in  the  center  'Hill  ns",  a fanciful  form  of 
Adonai,  on  the  left  hand  pty,  "Satan,”  in  another  division  J3S  and  nearby 
)TT  ( ?),  i.  e.  piTJES,  to  be  found  in  Schwab,  Vocab.  Another  species  of  the 
shield  more  roughly  designed  contains  nirp  in  the  center,  flanked  with  n\  etc. 
and  TlS,  with  jimDD  and  J'lsb'UD  on  either  side.  The  changes  are  rung  on 
the  possible  mutations  of  pV\  and  the  scripture  Dt.  28:  10  is  cited.  Similar 
charms  against  the  Lilith  are  to  be  found  at  the  end  of  Sefer  Raziel  and  in 
Buxtorf’s  Lexicon,  s.  v. 


Translation 

Shaddai 

Sanui  Sansanui  Semniglaph  Adam  YHWH  Kadmon  Life  Lilith 

In  the  name  of  Y”  the  God  of  Israel  who  besits  the  cherubs,  whose 
name  is  living  and  enduring  forever.  Eli  j a the  prophet  was  walking  in 
the  road  and  he  met  the  wicked  Lilith  and  all  her  band.  He  said  to  her. 
Where  art  thou  going.  Foul  one  and  Spirit  of  foulness,  with  all  thy  foul 
band  walking  along?  And  she  answered  and  said  to  him:  My  lord  Eli  j a,  I 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


260 

am  going  to  the  house  of  the  woman  in  childbirth  who  is  in  pangs  (?),  of 
So-and-so  daughter  of  Such-a-one,  to  give  her  the  sleep  of  death  and  to 
take  the  child  she  is  bearing,  to  suck  his  blood  and  to  suck  the  marrow  of 

his  bones  and  to  devour  his  flesh.  And  said  Elija  the  prophet blessed 

his  name! — With  a ban  from  the  Name — bless  it! — shalt  thou  be  restrained 
and  like  a stone  shalt  thou  be ! And  she  answered  and  said  to  him : For 
the  sake  of  Y”  postpone  the  ban  and  I will  flee,  and  will  swear  to  thee  in 
the  name  of  Y"  God  of  Israel  that  I will  let  go  this  business  in  the  case 
of  this  woman  in  childbirth  and  the  child  to  be  born  to  her  and  every 
inmate  so  as  do  no  injury.  And  every  time  that  they  repeat  or  I see  my 
names  written,  it  will  not  be  in  the  power  of  me  or  of  all  my  band  to  do 
evil  or  harm.  And  these  are  my  names:  Lilith,  Abitar  (Abito?),  Abikar 
(Abiko?),  Amorpho,  Hakas,  Odam,  Kephido,  Ailo,  Matrota,  Abnukta. 
Satriha,  Kali,  Batzeh,  Taltui,  Kitsa.  And  Elija  answered  and  said  to 
her:  Lo,  I adjure  thee  and  all  thy  band,  in  the  name  of  Y”  God  of  Israel, 
by  genratria  613,  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob,  and  in  the  name  of  his  holy 
Shekina,  and  in  the  name  of  the  ten  holy  Seraphs,  the  Wheels  and  the  holy 
Beasts  and  the  Ten  Books  of  the  Law,  and  by  the  might  of  the  God  of 
Hosts,  blessed  is  he! — -that  thou  come  not,  thou  nor  thy  band  to  injure  this 
woman  or  the  child  she  is  bearing,  nor  to  drink  his  blood  nor  to  suck  the 
marrow  of  his  bones  nor  to  devour  his  flesh,  nor  to  touch  them  neither  in 
their  256  limbs  nor  in  their  365  ligaments  and  veins,  even  as  she  is  ( = 
thou  art?)  not  able  to  count  the  number  of  the  stars  of  heaven  nor  to  dry 
up  the  water  of  the  sea.  In  the  name  of : ‘Hasdiel  Samriel  has  rent  Satan.’ 

Com  mentary 

Only  a few  detailed  notes  are  necessary.  Of  the  terms  at  the  beginning, 
"i:d:d  "OD  and  pSjJDD  are  common  in  childbirth  charms  (see  Schwab. 
Vocab.,  s.  vv.).  The  second  is  erroneously  explained  by  Schwab;  it  is  o DC, 
the  inscribed  Name,  cf.  the  DC  ...  TO  in  11:  9.  "HD  and  its  reduplication 
’1JD3D  probably  mean  “divorced.” 

N.  B.  the  order  of  Adam,  Yiiwh,  Kadmon. 

(NtNpv)OH  NtNpTO  is  obscure  to  me.  The  root  is  probably  used  in 
the  Syriac  sense  of  mourning,  hence  supplicating;  or  cf.  Heb.  Tn,  “writhe,” 
as  well  as  “dance.” 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


2G1 


run  m ntn’  I would  read  as  run  nn  nTK,  the  first  as  the  indefinite 
pronoun  fern,  quae  quae,  the  last  as  representing  the  Greek  Suva , which  is 
commonly  used  in  the  papyri,  the  actual  name  being  inserted  upon  use. 

□nn  = , cf.  Arabic  cup. 

Of  the  names  of  the  Lilith  the  second  = Abatur  the  Mandaic  genius 
(see  Glossary  A)  ; but  the  possible  reading  of  the  copy,  Abito,  may  be 
preferable,  in  view  of  the  Greek  parallels ; see  below ; the  third  is  the  Greek 

a/xopipo f. 

613:  the  figure  is  the  gematriac  sum  of  ‘the  Lord  God  of  Israel,'  as  also 
the  number  of  positive  and  negative  commandments  of  the  Law.  As  Mr. 
A.  Simon,  Harrison  Fellow  of  the  University,  has  suggested  to  me,  the 
preceding  abbreviation  stands  for  X'lUD'J. 

The  “256  limbs”  are  248  in  Jewish  lore.  For  the  365  ligaments,  cf. 
the  identical  expression  in  a charm  given  by  Reitzenstein,  Poimandres,  295. 

The  10  Books  of  the  Law  are  the  double  of  the  Pentateuch ; cf.  the 
Eighth  Book  of  Moses  in  the  Leyden  MS.  which  Dieterich  has  published 
at  the  end  of  his  Abraxas. 

The  very  ancient  use  of  epical  narrative  as  an  efficient  magical  charm 
was  described  above  p.  62 ; thus  the  mere  narrative  of  a demon’s  power, 
as  in  the  case  of  Dibbarra,  is  potent,  or,  a fortiori,  the  relation  of  a triumph 
over  the  evil  spirit  from  some  sacred  legend.  In  the  present  case  we  have 
the  added  virtue  of  the  revelation  of  the  demon’s  names,  and  she  swears 
that  whenever  they  confront  her,  she  will  retire;  the  knowledge  of  hei 
names  binds  her  (cf.  p.  56). 

Dr.  M.  Gaster  has  published  in  Folk-lore  xi  (whole  number  xlvi),  129, 
an  interesting  paper  entitled  ‘Two  Thousand  Years  of  a Charm  Against 
the  Child-Stealing  Witch.”  The  latter  uncanny  spirit  has  already  met  us 
in  several  of  our  preceding  texts  (Nos.  11,  18,  36,  etc.).  Dr.  Gaster  surveys 
a wide  material  of  European  and  Semitic  forms  of  this  magical  narrative, 
all  of  which  have  evidently  the  same  root.  He  draws  on  Slavonic,  Rouman- 
ian and  modern  Greek  legends,  and  cites  one  of  Gollancz’s  Syrian  charms, 
a collection  to  which  I have  had  frequent  occasion  to  refer,1  and  also  quotes 

1 In  Actes  of  the  8th  International  Congress  of  Orientalists,  Sect.  4,  p.  77.  Most 
of  these  charms  are  in  the  narrative  style.  Cf.  also  a similar  Syriac  charm  given 
by  Hazard,  JAOS,  xv,  286  f. 


263 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


in  translation  a Jewish  charm  of  the  same  order  from  the  Mystery  of  the 
Lord  (in  the  Hebrew  TiD,  a book  I have  not  been  able  to  obtain). 

This  Jewish  legend  is  almost  identical  with  ours.  It  is  considerably 
shorter,  concluding  with  the  names  of  the  Lilith  and  a direction  to  hang 
up  the  names  in  the  room  of  the  woman  concerned.  The  names  are  almost 
identical  with  those  in  our  text ; they  are : Satrina,  Lilith,  Abito,  Amizo, 
Izorpo,  Koko,  Odam,  Ita,  Podo,  Eilo,  Patrota,  Abiko,  Ivea,  Kali,  Batna, 
Talto,  Partasah.  My  form  Amorpho  is  probably  older;  Koko  =kgk6c m4y  be 
preferable  to  my  Kas. 

In  both  these  Jewish  forms  Eli j a and  the  Lilith  are  the  actors.  In  the 
Syriac  legend  quoted  by  Caster  from  Gollancz,  it  is  a saint  Mar  Ebedishu 
and  the  Evil  Spirit  in  the  likeness  of  an  ugly  woman  who  are  the  characters ; 
the  latter  has  for  one  of  her  names  that  of  “the  Strangling-mother  of 
children”  (cf.  above  to  36:  4).  In  the  European  Christian  legends,  the 
benevolent  actor  is  the  Virgin,  Michael,  or  a certain  saint  bearing  the  name 
Sisoe,  or  Sisynios.  These  names  are  derived  from  the  Jewish  hJDJD  ’10D, 
as  Caster  suggests.  In  the  Greek  legend  the  spirit  is  Gylo,  the  earlier  reAAw, 
which  appears  also  in  the  magical  papyri."  In  all  children  are  the  object 
of  the  fiend's  ravages,  in  one  case  the  charm  is  for  a boy  afflicted  with 
cataract. 

There  are  some  other  simpler  forms  of  this  legend  contained  in  Greek 
manuscript  amulets  which  were  not  accessible  to  Dr.  Gaster.  In  his 
Poimandres,  p.  298,  Reitzenstein  publishes  a text  which  is  the  earlier 
prototype  of  the  Roumanian  folk-legend  published  by  Gaster,  p.  132.  It 
reads : “When  the  archangel  Michael  came  down  from  heaven,  there  met 
him  the  impure  spirit  with  her  hair  down  her  back  and  her  eyes  inflamed. 
And  the  archangel  Michael  said  to  her:  Whence  comest  and  whither  goest 
thou?  The  impure  one  answered  and  said  to  him:  I go  to  enter  the  house 
as  a serpent,  dragon,  reptile,  I change  into  a quadruped,  I go  to  make  the 
plagues  of  women,  to  humble  their  heart,  to  dry  up  the  milk,  to  raise  the 
hair  of  the  master  of  the  house  ....  and  then  I kill  them.  For  my  name 
is  called  Paxarea.  For  when  the  Holy  Mary  bore  the  Word  of  Truth 

2 Wessely,  Vienna  Denkschrifteii,  xlii,  66,  also  TvTlov,  Reitzenstein,  Poimandres , 
298.  For  Gello  = the  Assyrian  Gallu,  see  Frank,  ZA,  xxiv,  161. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


263 


I went  to  deceive  her  and  . . ?.  .3  And  the  archangel  Michael  seized  her 
by  the  locks  on  the  right  hand  and  said  to  her : Tell  me  thy  twelve  names.4 
And  she  said:  I am  called  first  Gelou,  second  Morphous,  (third,  etc.  > 
Karanichos,  Amixous,  Amidazou,  Marmalat,  Karane,  Selenous,  Abiza, 
Ariane,  Maran.  Wherever  are  found  my  twelve  names  and  thy  name, 
archangel  Michael,  and  thy  name  Sisinios  and  Sinodoros,  I will  not  enter 
into  the  house  of  such  a one.”  Compare  also  the  amulet  given  on  the 
preceding  page  in  Reitzenstein  (p.  297),  lacking  the  reference  to  the  Virgin, 
the  demon  enumerating  her  plagues. 

A similar  legend,  in  large  part  identical  with  both  these  just  named, 
is  given  in  the  Greek-Italian  charms  published  by  Pradel.5  In  this  Michael 
descending  from  Sinai  meets  the  hag  Abuzou6  and  the  demons  cast  out  of 
heaven.  He  inquires  where  she  is  going ; she  answers  she  crawls  into 
houses  like  a serpent,  dragon,  etc.,  to  bring  all  evils  on  men,  to  dry  up  the 
mother’s  milk,  to  wake  the  children  and  kill  them.  Then,  evidently  a 
Christian  accretion,  she  causes  faction  in  the  church,  sends  floods,  destroys 
ships.  Michael  asks  her  her  name,  which  is  Pataxaro.  He  asks  for  hei 
many  names.  She  swears  by  the  throne  of  God  and  the  eye  (=  eyes) 
of  the  Beasts  (cf.  the  oath  in  our  text)  that  she  will  tell  the  truth.  She 
then  gives  forty  names,  the  first  two  of  which  are  Gilou,  Morphou. 

The  legend  sometimes  ran  out  into  the  line  of  particular  diseases,  e.  g. 
cataract,  as  in  one  of  the  Roumanian  forms ; or  Beelzebub  and  other  demons 
are  named,  as  in  an  amulet  in  Vassiliev,  Anecdota  byzantina,  i,  336.  But 
the  story  of  the  wife-hating,  child-murdering  hag  is  the  original  element, 
as  Gaster  points  out. 

We  thus  possess  forms  of  the  legend  in  Hebrew  and  Syriac,  in  Greek 
texts  of  eastern  and  western  Europe,  and  in  modern  Roumanian  and 
Slavonic  folklore,  while  the  heroes  of  the  epic  include  Elijah,  Michael, 
Christ  and  various  saints  known  or  obscure.  The  persistency  of  the  form 
appears  also  in  the  charm  names.  To  compare  the  lists  in  the  two  Hebrew 
texts  and  in  the  two  of  Wendland  and  Pradel  respectively  and  in  Gollancz 

3 Cf.  the  early  Christian  myth  of  the  devil’s  wiles,  Rev.  12. 

4 The  same  number  is  found  in  the  Hekate-Isis  legend. 

5 Griechische  u.  siid.-  italienische  Gebete,  23. 

6 The  Avezuba  and  Avestitza  in  Gaster’s  Roumanian  legends. 


264 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


(Syriac),  we  find  that  the  initial  Hebrew  Lilith  = Greek  Gelou  or  Gilou 
= Syriac  Geos,  doubtless  — Gelos.  The  second  in  the  Hebrew,  Abito 
(Abitar?)  = Apiton  the  ninth  in  the  Syriac;  the  third,  Abiko  (Abikar?) 
= Abiza  or  Abuzou  in  the  Greek  texts,  and  as  we  observed  above  Avezuba 
in  the  Roumanian.  The  fourth  Amorpho  (in  our  text)  = Morphous  or 
Morphou  having  third  place  in  the  Greek  texts,  and  Martlos,  4th  in  the 
Syriac.  Amorpho  is  doubtless  the  Greek  apopfog , “shapeless,”  and  our  Jewish 
text  alone  has  preserved  the  correct  form.  Eilo  and  its  obscure  predecessor 
in  the  Hebrew  may  be  found  in  Pradel’s  Morpheilaton,  and  the  latter’s 
Phlegumon  may  translate  the  Hebrew  vp. 

It  is  impossible  to  place  our  phylactery  genealogically  in  such  a mass 
of  interrelated  material.  The  Jewish  text  doubtless  depends  upon  Greek 
tradition  with  its  magical  name  Amorpho  and  its  transliteration  of  <5eiva, 
while  the  later  Greek  forms  have  borrowed  from  the  Hebrew  in  St.  Sisynios. 
But  the  source  of  the  legend  is  the  common  property  of  mankind,  with 
roots  as  ancient  as  the  Babylonian  Labartu  and  Gallu.  A child-killing  demon 
which  sucks  babes’  blood,  etc.,  is  found  in  Africa;  see  Budge,  Osiris  and 
the  Egyptian  Resurrection,  i,  285,  a reference  pointed  out  to  me  by  Pro- 
fessor Jastrow.  In  the  Hellenistic  magic  a classical  form  of  such  legend 
was  established  out  of  all  the  elements  that  were  brought  together  in  that 
age,  and  this  spread  again  assuming  its  variant  forms  among  the  peoples 
and  faiths.  If  our  text  actually  came  from  Nippur,  it  is  of  interest  as  the 
earliest  form  of  the  Jewish  legend  and  as  one  which  can  be  dated  with 
approximate  accuracy. 


Corrections  and  Additions 
P.  20,  line  4:  read  “Berlin”  for  “British.” 

P.20:  add  to  the  list  of  published  Mandaic  bowls  the  two  photographic  plates 
of  bowls  (platesi,  2)  in  J.  de  Morgan,  Etudes  linguistiques,  vol.  v,  part 
2,  of  his  Mission  scientifique  cn  Perse. 

P.  105,  line  20:  the  Koran  gives  to  the  Mandaeans  the  same  privileges  as  the 
Jews  and  the  Christians  (see  2:  59;  5:  73;  2 2:  17). 


GLOSSARIES 


GLOSSARY  A 


Personal  Names  and  Epithets  of  Deities,  Angels,  Demons,  etc. 


GLOSSARY  B 


Proper  Names  of  Men  and  Women 


GLOSSARY  C 


General  Glossary 


Prefatory  Note 


Glossary  C is  arranged  according  to  roots,  the  other  two  consonanc- 
ally.  The  former  indexes  only  the  common  nouns. 

The  citations  of  other  authorities  can  be  understood  from  § 2.  The 
two  publications  of  Pognon’s  are  cited  as  “A”  and  “B”,  and  Pognon’s 
full  glossaries  will  serve  to  locate  all  words  of  his  texts.  Where  lines  of 
texts  are  given,  the  reference  is  to  the  spiral  line  if  facsimile  is  given, 
otherwise  to  the  lines  of  the  printed  text.  I have  not  thought  it  necessary 
to  give  the  line  citation  for  proper  names  even  in  my  own  texts,  as  they 
can  be  easily  identified. 

Under  Glossary  B,  the  following  abbreviations  are  used : d.  = daugh- 
ter of,  f.  = father,  h.  = husband,  m.  = mother,  s.  = son,  w.  = wife. 

Where  a word  appears  in  my  text  the  first  citation  may  be  referred 
to  for  any  treatment  by  the  editor;  references  are  also  added  to  further 
discussions  in  the  Introduction.  Notes  are  occasionally  added  to  words 
found  in  texts  of  other  editors. 

In  Glossaries  A and  B all  the  occurrences  are  given  with  the  exception 
of  a few  common  divine  names  like  rnrP;  in  Glossary  C only  typical  cita- 
tions and  peculiar  forms;  also  it  has  been  the  aim  to  give  citations  from 
the  three  dialects. 


(267) 


GLOSSARY  A 


PERSONAL  NAMES  AND  EPITHETS  OF  DEITIES,  ANGELS, 

DEMONS,  ETC. 


XJXDJUX  evil  deity : Pogn  B. 
XJXTJ13X  evil  deity:  Lidz  4,  5 (for 
these  two  names, 
see  to  11 : 5). 

XT3X  Destroyer  3. 

max  divine  name?:  7;  Myhr. 

“ilDiax  Abatur,  Mandaic  genius: 
Ellis  1 (XTD  'X);  Wohls  2417 
(ntonx)  ; see  p.  96. 
ha'X  deity  (Apollo?  Aeon?)  : 19. 

IT TD'X  feminine  to  above : ib. 

Tax  epithet  of  God : 8. 

Danax,  omaiax,  D'anax  Abrasax: 
7 (=  Myhr),  19,  34  (see  pp. 
57*  99)- 

THIX  mystic  name : Schw  F. 

Lxnux  deity  or  angel : 19. 

D'aux  “the  holy  Agrabis” : 14. 
bxoxix  angel : Schw  I. 
onx  Adonai : 34;  Pogn  B. 

'XTX  angel:  Pogn  B;  Lidz  1. 
ijXTTX  angel : 19. 

X2TX  deity?:  19. 

xurx  na  nnx  ghost:  Wohls  2417. 
xbx  God:  18. 
bxbx  divine  name:  13. 
ptDJaSx,  )‘ayaSx  mystical  name?: 
Wohls  2422. 

01  rvaTiSx  mystical  name : 5. 


xn^x,  Mx  God:  7,  16,  etc. 

Dmbx  Elohim : Ellis  1 ; Hyv. 

^X’^’X  angel : 10. 

T’idS'X  Ellis  i (but  see  to  11:4). 

DOS  7x  El  Panirn:  8. 

DDS^x  name  of  Gabriel:  Wohls 
2422. 

HB'  bx  El  Shaddai : 8,  34,  etc. 

XDX  demon  (bath  Imma)  : Wohls 
2426. 

O'X  name  of  demon : Wohls  2416 
= Stiibe  (see  p.  77). 

XtoynxtDX  a genius:  Lidz  5 (“ana- 
thema” ?). 

DlTJX  deity:  19. 

TJX  deity:  19. 

msJX  demon:  Schw  F (see  p.  25). 

xjxnox  Satan : Montg. 

XVHDUDDX  Cpenta-dewa,  name  of 
Solomon’s  Jinn  (see  Griin- 
baum,  Zts.  f.  Keils.-forsch.,  ii, 
224,  Noldeke,  ib.  297). 

XiDiX  epithet  of  angel  (“charm- 
er”) : Schw,  PSBA,  xii,  298. 

xpiosx  Wohls  2422  ( = ncax?). 

W^*x  angel : Wohls  2416. 

DlJ’plX  Okeanos  ( ?)  : 19. 

flplJ  eipJ  tipx  series  of  mystical 
names : Schw  F. 


(269) 


270 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


NaD'TiS  deity:  19. 

JPX  deity : 19. 

Exnx  angel:  19;  Schw  I. 

angel:  Stiibe  (Wohls  1. 
Sx'nn). 

|V~iX  deity?:  19;  34. 

D'OTX,  XDtnx,  D’Dnn  Hermes,  see  to 

2 I 2. 

DTK  a deity  (Eros,  Ares?):  19. 
pppmpnc."N  infernal  genius:  Pogn 
B (cf.  Glossary  C,  f|pe  ; but 
cf.  Aristikifa,  in  Dillmann’s 
text  to  Enoch  6:  7). 

JVN  ghost:  Schw  2417. 

'2  = Bel : 36. 

(?)  angel:  Schw  G. 

XJU3,  NJNTJ2  deity:  11,  18,  19, 
Montg. 

'XJT13  lilith : 40. 

D^nu  lilith:  18  (cf.  D2^n). 

'Nnijn  angel : 38. 
fjNrvn  angel : Schw  N. 

angel : Pogn  B. 

Sx'p-12  angel : Wohls  2416. 

Sn'-i2J,  b"i23,  Gabriel:  7;  34; 

etc.  (see  p.  96  f.). 

Exmj  angel : 14. 

N'2T  epithet  of  Elermes : 2. 
pxm  angel:  Pogn  B (cf.  pxuo). 
2'Tn  demon : 36. 

ro'tn  Dlibat  = Dilbat,  goddess  of 
love : 28. 

non  mother  of  demon : Schw  G. 
Sx'O'n  angel:  Wohls  2416. 


f'nn  demon : 19. 

angel : Schw  N. 
xnn'Dvevn  ghost:  Schw  2417. 

S*m  deity  or  angel : 40. 
bx'Dlton  angel : Schw  E 
bx'pvi  angel : Schw  L 
angel : Pogn  B. 

Sx'nn  angel : Stiibe  (Wohls  ^K'VPJ). 
Sx'DDri  angel : Wohls  2416. 

D'onn  s.  kddix. 

TJT  father  of  tins:  19,  34- 
xnyt  Zeus:  19. 

Sx'p'T  angel : Wohls  2416. 

'JiT,  'XJnxT  granddam  of  a lilith : 
11  and  parallels. 

reman  epithet  of  'NJHN : Pogn  B. 
PX'yn  angel:  13. 

Sx'ictjn  angel : Schw  PSBA,  xii, 
298. 

X'n,  x"n  Life,  Mand.  supreme 
deity : 40 ; Pogn  A,  B ; 
Lidz  5. 

nvn  the  Living  Creatures : 8. 
t.”'3  b'n  Evil  Potency:  30. 

D3^n,  DoSan,  pxn^n  lilith:  11  and 
parallels. 

PX’ONn  angel : Schwab,/,  c. 
bx'rrcnn  angel:  Stiibe  = Wohls 
^N'n'run. 

n'Vion  demon : Schw  G. 

Ss'non  angel : 35. 

Sx'J'jn  angel:  13;  Stiibe. 

Sx'TDn  angel:  Schw  N. 
vein  ghost:  Schw  2417. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


271 


bx'nn  angel:  Wohls  2416  (for 
Stiibe’s,  bxniK). 
b'N'onn  angel:  35. 

p30,  pK3NO  (cf.  psn)  angel:  Pogn 
B. 

’JUD^O  deity:  19. 

SOIO  see  HOOK. 

TT,  TTr  ghosts:  Wohls  2417. 
mm  Yahwe  passim. 
jnr,  W angel:  Pogn  B;  Lidz  1. 
p'ntN'1  angel : Pogn  B. 

NPITN’  angel : ib. 

bn  ’m  angel,  or  divine  name:  25. 

’MK’  lilith : 38. 

-WSV  angel,  or  divine  name:  25. 
pip’  angel : Lidz  1 ; Pogn  B. 

K3"iV  Mandaic  divine  name : Pogn 

B. 

ion’  angel,  with  “eleven  names’’ 
following : Schw  G. 

b’yKOa  angel : Pogn  B. 

NLD'a  the  “heat”  demon : 30 : 2. 
iwHDa  angel1:  Hyv  (in  fcOD’y  o 
; cf.  Kasdeya  angel 
of  evil  arts,  Enoch  69: 
12). 

]rrrb  Leviathan : 2. 

no'UHO  demon:  37. 

bN'nsnn  angel : Wohls  2416. 

b’ytno  angel : Pogn  B. 

toano  the  Destroyer:  9. 

bviJDD  angel:  Schw  G. 

fHOD'O  Metatron : 25;  Wohls  2416. 


bsmo,  b’tfmo  Michael:  34,  etc.  (see 
p.  96  f.). 

pK’N'ibo  Signs  of  Zodiac : 4. 
t6bo,  Nb'bo,  nbbvv  the  Word:  27, 
19,  2 (see  to  2 : 2). 

WOO  deity?:  11. 

to,  N3NO  Mandaic  genius:  19; 

Wohls  2422. 

IDJHJO  deity:  19. 
b'KnOJD  angel : 35. 

BOTOO  deity:  19. 
riNW'D  name  of  God:  29. 

10  demon:  Wohls  2416  (see  p.  81). 
&6j~iO  epithet  of  a deity : 19. 
mo  ghost:  Wohls  2417. 

DtOJ  Mandaic  genius : Pogn.  B. 
'KJTlJi  angel:  38. 
bfOTro  angel : Wohls  2416. 
angel:  14. 

iwiDJ  angel : Schw  PSBA,  xii, 
298. 

'W3  god  Nannai : 36. 

DiYipi  deity : 19. 

^N'TO  angel:  35;  Wohls  2416  (see 
p.  96). 

J’TO  god  Nirig;  36;  T'T'J : Ellis  x. 

miD  name  of  God:  Ellis  3. 

.mno,  nutd,  ntd  (Mand)  Moon: 

34,  Wohls  2416;  Pogn  B. 
S'yono,  etc.  angel:  Lidz  1;  Pogn 
B. 

NTD  Sin:  36;  Montg. 

“IlOTOnD  deity:  19. 

N30D  Satan:  2,  etc.;  njnod,  19;  cf. 
SJSnDN. 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


Ss’niDD  angel:  Wohls  2416. 
id,  50 D “the  Prince”:  5,  7 (see  p. 
97  f-)- 

bxniD  angel:  15;  Schw  I. 

Sx’DDiD  angel : 14. 

Sx'2iD  angel:  14,  19. 

Sx’iTD  angel:  15. 

Sxnry  angel : 8. 

^XN'y  genius  or  angel : Schw  F. 
L'X'}V  angel:  Wohls  2416  (see 
Wohls  p.  27,  and  Bousset, 
Arch.  f.  Rel.-wiss.,  iv, 
268). 

^NDy,  Sx'Dy:  angel:  7;  Myhr. 
moy  Istar,  Mand.  evil  deity : Pogn 
B (a  she-angel,  nos.  14, 
15);  = name  of  lilith ? : 

38.  40. 

bxnpy  angel:  8. 
xmpy  “Barrenness”:  11. 

^N'33y  angel : Wohls  2416. 

S\xsny  form  of  Raphael : Lidz  1 ; 
Pogn  B. 

Dimes  deity:  19. 

Jss  idem. 

Dn?s,  nnps  father  and  mother  of 
demons : 8 (variants  in 
I/)- 

’roSs  deity:  19. 

XD'PD  ndps  genius:  8. 

^N'32  angel. 

DTISS  for  Piriawis,  Mand.  genius : 
Pogn  B. 

Spns,  b’yns  form  of  Raphael: 

Lidz  1 ; Pogn  B. 

^K'pis  angel : Wohls  2416. 


D1K3V,  'V  HIT1  : 8;  5013  % 8. 

S'pOY  angel : Schw  N. 

1T313V  epithet  of  Adonai : Pogn  B. 
11V  epithet  of  God : 8. 
ixmv  angel:  14;  Schw  I. 

TcJ  i'V  deity:  Lidz  5 (but  see  to 
No.  11). 

bx'pnpnp  angel : 8. 

N3i  pup  “the  great  Ivedron” : 
Wohls  2422  (cf.  Mand. 
“the  great  Jordan”). 
N'rPiop  name  of  demon : 36. 
D’lxntONp  angel : Lidz  5. 

NDip  divine  name?:  19. 

X2p  idem. 

HDSVp  name  of  angel  of  death : 
Schw  F. 

S'lNi  angel : Schw  N. 

Snm,  Syim  angel:  Pogn  B. 

3N,,N'i  angel : Schw  I. 

1 ND2  dni  a male  genius:  Lidz  4. 
runs  dni  a female  genius:  ibid. 
PP'i  angel : Pogn  B. 

IN’K'NT  angel : Schw  I. 

Sum  angel : Schw  N. 

ND311  a genius?:  Schw  F. 

Np3”i,  'n  mother  of  demons, 
n Mystery:  37. 

PX'Dm  angel:  13.  28. 
bx’vm  angel : Schw  I. 
bxsi,  Gx'2i3,  b’yxsn,  b'ysn,  Vrixsn 
(cf.  b'xsny,  ^yis  ) Raphael: 
passim,  see  p.  96  f. 

bx"33’  angel : 10. 

^'XpSir.  b'X'XPSET  angel : Pogn  B. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


273 


HK’  Shaddai : 8 ; Myhr ; Kit? , 7- 
biC’Tit?  angel : Schw  N. 
angel : 35. 

Npnosy  deity:  Montg.  (Prof.  F. 

Perles  calls  my  attention 
to  the  midrashic  occur- 
rence of  'tnot? ; see  Griin- 
baurn,  ZDMG,  xxxi,  225 
f.  = Gesammelte  Auf- 
sdtse,  ed.  Perles,  1901,  p. 
59  f.).  See  p.  198. 


Sun  : 36,  30 ; Pogn  B ; 
NCW,  Montg. 
angel : 25. 

b'N’nty,  angel: 

14,  35  ; Pogn  B. 

^xp'ity  angel : Pogn  B. 

’Tit?  demon : Schw  F. 

bx,,n,n  angel : Schw  F. 
bny  ,NJn(n)  genius:  ibid. 

angel:  Ellis  1 (=  Lidz 

D'lNntONp). 


Also  eleven  names  of  angel  in  Ellis  3:  xbsDD,  nno,  H333,  H33T3,  miTD, 
m-rpn,  nary,  nspiT3,  namx  (=  nddix  ?),  Dspnx, — ; cf.  the  “eleven” 
names  in  Schw  G : X31DD,  manes  «333,  mmon,  'rym,  p'ny,  xspmo,  njnon,  mas, 
D'J3 . In  Schw  M a list  of  mystical  angel  names:  SSv,  SSy , ^>^0 , etc. 
A list  of  evil  spirits  in  Schw  G:  "133,  nono  nbJ3,  ’lUDD,  imaDD.  Names 
of  ghosts,  some  cited  above,  Wohls  2417.  For  a lilith’s  names,  see 
No.  42. 

Some  Kabbalistic  forms  of  mm  etc.  (see  p.  60  f.) : 

nr  lm,  Schw  Q;  vr,  Schw  O;  rn , ib.;  mm,  Hyv;  im,  Ellis  4, 
Hyv ; in'  in'  1m  Stiibe,  1.  16;  i»e>  m,  ib.  1.  28;  mam,  7:  8,  Stiibe,  1.  15, 
cf.  13:  7;  nn  nn,  7:  12;  m'ns'  31:  6;  pirn,  14:  2. 

mnt<  mnx , Stiibe,  1.  29;  nynx,  5,  center;  xxx  Schw  I;  xxxx 
Stiibe,  1.  35,  XXXXXX,  20:  2,  5. 

fS  fN,  Stiibe,  1.  15;  p’m  p'm  po,  sp  e|D,  15  : 2 ; )‘D  pe>  pp  etc.  29: 
ic  fSVO  (Atbash),  Stiibe,  1.  66.  Cf.  also  1:  13,  24:  4f,  3:  6,  etc. 


GLOSSARY  B 


PROPER  NAMES  OF  MEN  AND  WOMEN 


xnx  Abba  s.  Komesh:  17;  s.  Bar- 
kita : Stiibe. 

X3'X  Ibba  s.  Zawithai : 2. 
inis  Abbahu  (a  sorcerer?):  7, 
Myhr. 

7H32X  Abanduch  d.  Pusbi : 5. 

XJ13X  Abuna  s.  Geribta : 2. 

DmaK  Abraham  (the  patriarch)  : 

8,  Schw  O ; s.  Dadbeh : 

12,  16. 

n^JX  Aglath  d.  Mahlath : Schw  P. 
’TX  Idi,  m.  Asmin : Wohls  2417. 
DtX  Adam;  HXDnp  X : 10;  D“IX 

13,  Pogn  A. 
pnx  Adak  s.  Hathoi : 6. 

nnnr  nnx  Aduryazdandur ; Pogn 
B (for  first  component 
see  Justi,  pp.  5,  51;  the 
second  error  for  Yazdan- 
dad? — see  ib.  146). 
wx  (?)  Ihi  f.  Ephra:  18. 

IHjnrx  Tzdanduch  m.  Yezidad:  7, 
27. 

X’iX  Azia  m.  Maria : Lidz  3. 
nnnx  Ahdabui  s.  Ahathbu: 
Wohls  2422. 

nnx  , Mand.  nxnxAhath  d.  Parkoi : 

3 ; d.  Hathoi : 6 ; m.  Do- 
dai : 21,  22,  23;  d.  Doda : 
25;  d.  Nebazach:  28; 
m.  Churrenik : Lidz  2 ; d. 
Dade : Lidz  5. 


turinx  Ahathbu  m.  Ahdabui: 
Wohls  2422. 

nmxnnx,  mxnxnnx  Ahathadbah  d. 

Imma:  Wohls  2426,  2414. 
juoxnnx  (w.  prep,  'n’b)  Ahathat- 
bon,  d.  Nanai : Pogn  B, 
no.  18  (not  in  glossary), 
xrm  nxnx:  Ahath-rabta  m.  Far- 
ruchiro : Pogn  B. 

xoynnx  Ahathema  m.  Dade: 
Pogn  B. 

’oaix  Ukkamai  f.  Zutra:  Schw  F. 
HDX,  XDX  Imma  m.  Hisdai  Schw  E ; 

m.  Osera : Schw  G. 

H13DX  Amtur  d.  Solomon : Schw  I. 
mo  momn  'JIX  (?).  Oni  Har- 
masdar  Tardi  m.  Tardi: 
20. 

n..ni:x  Anur..d  s.  Parkoi:  28. 
tW3X  Anos  m.  Zadanos : Pogn  B. 
'X^’UX  Anosai  d.  Mehinducht: 
ibid. 

X'K”3X  Anise  (error  for  previous 
name?)  ibid. 
xnn:x  Anosta,  ibid. 

X'n  m:x  Anuth-haye  d.  Sebre-le- 
Yesho:  ibid,  (“vessel  of 
life”?). 

xnncDX  Astroba:  29. 
pDDX  Asmin  d.  Idi:  Wohls  2417. 
namPDX,  p-Asmanducht  m.  Dad- 
beh: 12,  16,  31,  33. 


(274) 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


275 


IJDDX  Aspenaz  m.  (?)  Gaye: 

Myhr  (see  to  7:  4). 

Xi DIN*  Osera  s.  Osera  and  Imma: 

Schw  G (see  p.  83). 
VIXDX  Aphadoi  s.  Dawiwi : Pogn 
B. 

max,  X"iQX  Ephra  s.  Saborduch:  1, 
13  ; s.  Ihi : 18. 

X'lTlSX  Aphridoe  d.  Kusizag: 

Lidz  4 (cf.  Justi,  p.  6). 
'IIJSV'X  Ispandoi  w.  Ephra:  18. 

•mruBirx,  26:  5,  'd'x  (32,  35), 
''D'X  (30)  Ispandarmed 

m.  Yandundisnat : 30;  m. 
Dinoi : 32,  35 ; m.  Beh- 
dar:  Ellis  1. 

'111X  Ardoi  s.  Hormizduch  :35s. 
Gayye:  Myhr. 

xmx  Arha  f.  (m.)  Ispiza:  30. 

}V"iX  Arion  s.  Zand:  19;  34  (sor- 
cerer or  deity?), 
rvnpmx  Artasria  s.  Komes : 17. 
xttrx  Ispiza  s.  Arha : 30. 

It^X,  Tt?x  Aser  f.  Bosmath  ; Schw 
F;  H. 

rmxnx  Athadba  d.  Immi : Wohls 
2426  (cf.  i3nnx  ff.). 
XJnnx  Ethroga  m.  Kukai : Pogn 
B (“citron”). 

•’3X3  Babai  s.  Bedin:  Wohls  2417 
(cf.  Syriac.  '33,  see 
Ndld.  Pcrs.  St.  395,  414). 
nJ33,  anJ3X3,  K>liX33  Babanos  3. 

Kayyomta : 9 ; s.  Me- 

hanos:  Pogn  B. 

J1T3,  better  p'3  Be  (h)  din  f. 

Babai:  Wohls  2417  (see 
Justi,  p.  347  b). 


“TTODm,  n3-Bahmanduch(t)d. 

Sama : 1,  13;  m.  Geyam- 
buch : Pogn  B. 

Tiro  Bahrad : Ellis  1 (see  G.  Hoff- 
mann, Ausz.  aus  syr. 
Ac  ten,  128). 

JXTjnro  Bahrezag  d.  Kavvaranos: 
Pogn  B. 

vnn3  Bahroi  d.  Bath-sahde : 34. 

“TiT'im  Bahranduch  d.  Newan- 
duch:  Ellis  1 (see  Nold., 
Z.  /.  K.  F.  ii,  296). 

’X0X3  Banai  m.  Merduch : 7,  27. 

"WX  13  ? peril,  “son  of  praise” 
(artificial  name  of  sorcer- 
er?) Schw  G. 

X,3X3"i3  Barbabe  m.  Yazid:  Pogn 
B. 

^33  Bar-gelal  s.  Dodai : 15. 

xdtc  (?)  Bardesa  d.  Terme:  39. 

"xn  13  Bar-haye : Rodw  = Hal  = 
Schw  C (so  Chwol1  Cl  FI, 
1 12 ; cf.  Talmudic  name 
x’t). 

X'lX  TP3  Baruk-aria  (Farruch?) 
s.  Reshinduch : Schw  M. 

rP3rP3'33  Berikyahbeh  s.  Mamai : 
26  (artificial  form). 

xn'313  Barkita  m.  Abba:  Stiibe. 

H'D1D»  13  ( ?)  Bar-mesosia:  Hal, 
Schw  C.  (cf.  my  note  on 
Schwab  E,  § 3 ; a master 
magician,  with  artificial 
name?). 

b'X",  bxnc vo  13,  Bar-mistael : 7, 

Myhr  (see  to  7:  13). 

,33,3'  "13  Bar-sibebi  s.  Tshehrazad: 
IS- 

nx‘DE’3  Bosmath  d.  Aser : Schw  F 
(biblical). 


276 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


ianD  13  Bath-sahde  m.  Bahroi : 34. 

X’DX  n’3,  nx3  Beth-asia  cl.  Mehan- 
osh : Pogn  B,  3.  29. 

"|13»N’3  Geyambuch(  ?)d.  Bahman- 
ducht : Pogn  B. 

”3  Gaye  s.  Aspenaz : Myhr. 

’X3l’3  Geyonai  s.  Mamai : 8. 

X’l^y3  Geloia  (Geloie)  m.  Dur- 
duch  : Pogn  B ; the  same 
probably  ’i^’3  : no.  16094, 
unpub.  (=  yeTioia,  “laugh- 
ter”?). 

^’Sd3  Gamaliel:  Schwab  O. 

X3’33  Geniba  s.  Dodai : Montg. 

'333  Gaspai  w.(?)  Farruch : 41. 

’ITU  Guroi  s.  Tati : 25. 

[’X]3t3’l3  Gusnai  d.  Beth-asia  Pogn 
B,  no.  3 (cf.  below,  1321TX’ 
’X3m3). 

mxi  Dada  f.  Sarkoi : 12.  15. 

xnxi  Dade  m.  Terme:  39;  m. 

Mahlaphta : Pogn  B ; d. 
Ahath:  ib.  (also  written 
nnxi);  d.  Ahath:  Lidz  5 
(inNi). 

’in,  'Nlil,  Nlll  Doda(i)  d.  Mar- 
tha: 15;  d.  Ahath:  21,  22, 
23 ; m.  Ahath : 25 ; m. 
Hinduitha : 38. 

nan,  .131X1  Dadbeh  s.  Asmanduch : 
12,  16,  21,  35. 

ill,  Tixi  David  (the  king):  14, 
34;  Hyv ; Lidz  5. 

’l’lXi  Dawiwi(?)  f.  (?)  Aphridoe : 
Pogn  B. 


X’13ixn  Dazaunoye  s.  ‘Adwitha : 
38. 

H2:xn3H  Duchtanbeh  d.  Kumai : 
Pogn  A (p.  18). 

K1JXJ1311,  31311311  Duchtanos  d. 

Hawwa  : Pogn  B ; m.  Far- 
ruchusraw : Lidz  4 (cf. 
Justi,  p.  86). 

’U’l  Dinoi  s.  Ispandarmed : 35. 
xmn,  xmxn,  xnnn  Denar(i)tad. 

Misa : Pogn  B (cf.  masc. 
name  Dinar,  “penny,” 
Payne-Smith,  col.  887). 
llU'i,  liuyi  Denduch  d.  Chosri- 
duch : ibid. 

711111  Durduch  d.  Geloia : Pogn  B 
(Noldeke,  for  Adhur- 
duch ). 

'em  Darsi  ‘‘the  foreigner” : 29. 

xnD'l.i,  ’X-  Hadista  d.  Miria:  Schw 
M (biblical  Hadassa). 
113.1,113’!  (’131?)  Hindu  d.  Mah- 
laphta : 24 ; m.  Marathai : 
40 ; m.  Mehperoz : Ellis  3 
(see  above,  § 3). 
xn’113’1  Hinduitha  d.  Dodai : 38. 
P’3li  Honik  s.  Dadbeh:  12,  16;  s. 

Koines:  17;  s.  Ahath: 
16020  (unpub.). 

X111..11  Id.  r.  . dora  m.  Ispand- 
armed : 26. 

roil!  Hormiz  s.  Mama:  15;  s. 

Mahlaphta : Lidz  5. 
“plt'Dilii  Hormizduch  m.  Ardoi : 
3;  d.  Mehduch:  14. 

.131  Xt  Zadbeh  s.  Denarta : Pogn  B 
(Noldeke,  from  Azadh- 
beh). 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


277 


VIT,  nt  Zadoi  s.  Newanduch:  io; 
NTKT  s.  ‘Adwitha:  38. 

“ins  JK“lT  Zadanfarruch  s.  Kaki : 
Hyv  (cf.  Justi,  p.  377). 

ETN1NT  Zadanos  d.  Anos : Pogn  B. 
'KmT  Zawithai  m.  Ibba : 2. 
tOOIT  Zutra  s.  Ukmai : Schw  F 
(w.  title  Mar). 

“1ST  Zand  f.  Arion:  19,  34  (sorcer- 
er or  deity?), 
nsxr  Zapeh  s.  ? : Pogn  B. 

TiT  Zaroi  s.  ? : 37. 

KUJU  Zarinkas  d.  Mahlaphta : 24. 

3Un  Habib:  no.  2924  (unpub.). 

Kin  Hawwa  (Eve)  wife  of  Adam: 

13;  m.  Sisin:  Pogn  B. 
'ND'bn  Halifai  s.  Sisin:  29. 

’NE? . . non  Hmri . . sai  d.  Emme  : 

Pogn  B (no.  19). 

(Tin)  "pjnK  Enoch  the  patriarch:  4. 
JUn  Hanun,  the  house  of : 19. 

'"iD'n  Hisdai  s.  Ama : Schw  E. 
NDTin  Hathima  m.  ? : Pogn  B. 

'DSC  Tati  m.  Guroi : 25. 

Tl'KnKO'O  Timatheoz  s.  Mamai : 

Lidz  2 (“Timotheos,”  Lidz). 
mo  Tardi  d.  Oni : 20. 
niton't^o  Tsherazad  m.  Bar-sibebi : 
i5- 

ynn\  JW’  Joshua,  Jesus,  s. 
Perahia,  traditional  socerer : 
8;  9;  1 75  32;  33;  34  (see  to 
32). 

T“ip  (?)  Yazdid  s.  Koines:  17. 


T>p,  TTK’  Yazid  s.  Sisin:  Pogn  B; 
s.  Barbabe:  ibid.  (Aramaic 
rather  than  Arabic,  against 
Pognon  B,  pp.  103,  14). 

“iKTp  Yezidad  s.  Izdanduch:  7,  27. 

rnnr.  Yazdoe  d.  Rasnoi : Pogn  B 
(the  same  name,  Justi,  p. 
149). 

'XJB’IJ  rusnsTK'1  Yazadpanah  Gus- 
nai : Pogn  B ( for  the  second 
word  cf.  above;  the  first  a 
Persian  name,  see  Justi,  p. 
149,  Payne-Smith,  col.  1585). 

“USE  Yokebed  d.  ?:  no.  2924  (un- 
pub.). 

OXmJinp  Yandundisnat  s.  Ispan- 
darmed : 30. 

pOD'  Yasmin  d.  Dadbeh : 12. 

Spy  Jacob  the  patriarch:  8,  Schw 

6. 

pny  Isaac  the  patriarch:  ibid. 

KTN  inis  Chewaranos  m.  Behre- 
zag:  Pogn  B (cf.  Noldeke’s 
review,  p.  144). 

JTU’KU  ChewasizagJ  ?)  m.  Mehr- 
kai : Pogn  A ; d.  Papa : Lidz  4 
(see  Pogn,  p.  18;  Justi,  p. 
182;  Andreas  to  Lidz,  propos- 
ing chush-zak). 

riKUXU  Kezabiath  m.  Adur- 
yazdandar : Pogn  B,  no.  23. 

vimu,  Tiinro,  'nnyrn  Chuze- 
huroi(?)  s.  Beth-asia : Pogn 
B. 

Kn^o  Kalletha  d.  Mahlaphta:  17. 

'KOU  Komai  m.  Duchtanbeh:  Pogn 

■ A. 

’UOU  Kumboi  m.  Meducht:  35. 


278 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


Koines  d.  Mahlaphta:  17. 
fiXDD  Xaro  s.  Mehanos:  40. 

■p*mD3  Chosriduch  m.  Denduch : 
Pogn  B. 

'333  Kaphni  f.  Newanduch:  10; 
11  ; h.  Newanduch  10. 

,n,3i3.  'X-,  x-  Kufithai  m.  Pabalc: 
2,  4;  d.  Dadbeh : 12,  16. 

’XTO  Kurai  m.  Mesorta : Pogn  B. 
P’rTp  Churrenik  d.  Ahath:  Lidz  2 
(cf.  Andreas,  ad  loc.). 

JXDXTO  Churasan  w.  Chuzehuroi : 
Pogn  B (cf.  Justi,  p.  78.  but 
see  Noldeke  to  Pognon,  p. 
144)- 

xrutyia,  xroycrn  Kusenta  m.  Su- 
maka : Pogn  B (from  Pers. 
Waresna,  or  derivative? — see 
Justi,  p.  354). 

XO'ro  Kethima  m.  Nana:  Schw  L. 

troxno,  troriD  Mehanos  m.  Xaro: 
40 ; m.  Babanos,  Pogn  B ; m. 
Beth-asia : ibid. 

7HTO  Mehduch  d.  Dadbeh:  12, 
16;  m.  Hormizduch : 14;  d. 
Mahl(aphta)  : 9007  (unpub.), 
unn  Mehoi  s.  Dodai : 15. 

Piano  Mehperoz  s.  Hindu:  Ellis 
3 (=  Mihrperoz,  Justi,  p. 

206;  cf.  above,  § 3). 

nzmrno  Mehinducht : in.  Anosai : 
Pogn  B (=  rnaheng,  Justi,  p. 
186?). 

p"in»  Mehraban  s.  Yazdoie:  Pogn 
B (Pogn  thinks  error  for  fol- 
lowing; but  cf.  Meribanes  = 
Mihrwan,  etc.,  Justi,  p.  208). 


pfirtD  Mehrodan : Pogn  B (cf. 
Pofiavi/g  — Wardan,  Justi,  p. 
35i). 

iTOTin  nn'o  Mihr-hormizd  s. 
Mamai : 34. 

'Np'myo,  x-  Mehrikai  s.  Kusizag: 
Pogn  A (from  Mithrakana,  s. 
Justi,  p.  214). 

D2DtON"TO  Mazdanaspas  s.  Kusi- 
zag: Lidz  4 (see  Andreas  ad 
loc.). 

Mablephona  s.  Dade : Pogn 
B (but  Noldeke,  NnsSms). 
NnD^nn  Mahlaphta  m.  Komes : 17; 
m.  Mesarsia : 19;  m.  Hindu, 
etc. : 24 ; m.  Pathsapta : Pogn 
B ; m.  Hormiz : Lidz  5. 
nSntD  Mahlath  m.  Aglath:  Schw  P 
(biblical). 

xn3in?2  Mehuphta  m.  Rakdata : 

Pogn  B (but  Noldeke,  xna^no). 
riDH'D,  nDlTXO  Maiducht  d.  Ivumboi : 
35,  no.  16093. 

XJIdSb  Malkona  s.  Maksath:  Schw 
P. 

'DSC, ’XDXO,  xno:  Mamai,  Mama: 
m.  Geyonai : 8 ; m.  Hormiz : 

1 5 ; m.  Berikyahbeh : 26 ; m. 
Mihr-hormizd:  34;  m.  Tim- 
atheoz : Lidz  2. 

npDO  Maskath  m.  Malkona : Schw 
P (“olive-gleaner”). 
xmiDD  Mesorta  m.  Kurai:  Pogn  B. 
tOiXD,  X3N1NO  Marabba  s.  ‘Ad- 
witha : 38. 

xtxio  Marada  h.  Hinduitha : 38. 
'3TD,  '12  Mordecai  s.  Saul:  41. 
inro  Merduch  d.  Banai : 7,  27. 
xnso  IMaria  d.  Azia : Lidz  3. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


279 


tCTO  Miria  m.  Hadista : Pogn  M 
(=  Miriam?). 

D’lD  Mariam : Schw  Q. 

HWin  Mersabor  f . Kayyoma : 
Pogn  B (=  frequent  Syriac 
name,  Justi,  p.  206). 

mxo  Marath  m.  Rasnoi : 8 (=  fol- 
lowing name). 

smo  Martha  m.  Dodai : 15. 

’Nixixn  Marathai  d.  Hindu : 40. 

nno  Moses  (the  lawgiver)  : 34,  35. 

. . . Misa...  m.  Denarta  : 

Pogn  B. 

13^0  Muskoi  d.  Simoi : Myhr. 

Mesarsia  s.  Mahlaphta:  19; 
s.  Porath : Schw  G. 

55”3}<l » Methanis  d.  Resan : 29. 

11X31  Nebazach  m.  Ahath:  28. 

1H3VJ  Newanduch  d.  Pushbi : 5 ; 
d.  Kaphni:  10,  11 ; m.  Behdan- 
duch : Ellis  1. 

n:  Noah  (patriarch)  : 10. 

•wxj,  xjxj  Nana  d.  Kethima: 
Schw  L;  Nanai  m.  Ahathat- 
bon : Pogn  B. 

Itiyb  xn3yo  Sebre-leyeshu  f . Anuth- 
haye : Pogn  B (w.  Pognon  = 
“his  (my?)  hope  is  in  Jesus”). 

XOD,  'XtDD  Sama(i)  m.  Behman- 
duch : 1,  13. 

'*'D  Simoi  m.  Muskoi : Myhr. 

130'D  Simkoi  m.  ? : 30. 

NpfOlD,  xpxmo  Sumaka  s.  Kusanta: 
Pogn  B.  , 

riDUlD  Saradust  d.  Serin : 9. 


xmiy  ‘Adwitha  m.  Marabba,  etc. : 

38- 

X’Oy  Ernme  m.  Hamri..shai:  Pogn 
B. 

NVnaiy  (?)  s.  Rabbi,  a sorcerer: 
Hyv  (see  Noldeke,  Z.  f.  Keils.- 
forsch.,  iii,  297). 

p3X2  Pabak  s.  Kufithai : 2,  4. 

133  Pannoi  d.  Dadbeh : 16. 

N3X3  Papa  f.  Chusizag:  Lidz  4. 

nn33  Paproe  d.  Kukai : Pogn  B 
(=  Arabic  Babroe,  Noldeke, 
Pers.  Stud.,  400). 

I’nis,  K'ms,  K’nna  Perahia  f. 
Joshua  (Jesus)  : 8;  9;  17;  32; 
33;  34  (see  to  32). 

PHD  Farruch  s.  Pusbi : 5 ; s.  ?:  41. 

1313  Parkoi  m.  Ahath : 3 ; m. 

Anur — : 28. 

JX3HS  Farruchan  s.  Sahduch : Lidz 
1. 

X11D3H3  (also  X1X1D3HS)  Farru- 
chosraw  s.  Duchtanos : Lidz 
4- 

IIOHB  Farruchiro  s.  Ahath-rabta  : 
Pogn  B (cf.  Farruchrui,  Justi, 
p.  96). 

pjlD  Pharnagin  s.  Pharnagin  (a 
traditional  conjurer)  : 7, 

Myhr. 

’HIS  Porathai  m.  Mesarsia : Schw 
G (cf.  xmis,  Esth.  9:  8). 

■acia  Pusbi  m.  Farruch:  5. 

NHSE’  13  Path-sapta  d.  Mahlaphta : 
Pogn  A (with  Pognon  = 13 
X133’ , “Sabbath-daughter” ) . 


280 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


’pNp  Kaki  d.  Mahlaphta : 24;  m. 
Zadanfarruch : Hyv. 

'Splp  Kukai  m.  Paproe:  Pogn  B (cf. 

KOVKatc , Jlisti,  p.  166). 

NOVp  Kayoma  s.  Mersabor:  Pogn 
B (a  Syriac  name,  Payne- 
Smith,  col.  3538;  cf.  the  .fol- 
lowing). 

xnopp  Kayomta  m.  Babanos  : 9. 

'2T  Rabbi  father  of  a sorcerer: 

Plyv  (artificial  name?). 

'Spur)  Rubkai : Pogn  B (=  Heb. 

npa-i  ?). 

DlttDDn  Rustaum  s.  Churai : Pogn 
B. 

Nnjnpt  Rakdatha  d.  Mehuphta: 

Pogn  B (“dancer”). 

JC’T  Resan  m.  Methanes : 29. 
inj’JC’Ni  Rasnenduch  d.  Aphridoe : 
Lidz  4. 

-p-irm  Resinduch  m.  Baruk-aria  : 
Schw  M. 

’Wi,  n'lX’i  Rasnoi  d.  Marath:  8; 
m.  Yazdoe : Pogn  B. 


■pvot?  Saborduch  m.  Ephra : 1, 

13- 

IHnNK'  Sahduch  m.  Farruchan : 
Lidz  1. 

bxc  Saul  (?)  f.  Mordecai : 41. 

■6't:’  Sili  s.  Sarkoi : 12,  16. 

Nobr  Solomon  (the  king)  : Schw 
I,  0 (h^Sd),  Hyv;  f.  Amtur: 
Schwab  I. 

pE'^CE  Solomon  (the  king)  : 34,  39. 

Ellis  1 ; Lidz  5. 
pTt?  Sirin  m.  Saradust:  9. 

'ipic  Sarkoi  m.  Kaphni : 10;  d. 
Dada : 12,  16. 

N'C’T’  Sise  d.  Beth-asia : Pogn  B 
(compare  the  following). 
ptT'E'  Sisin  m,  Haliphai : 29 ; m. 
Yazid  : Pogn  B ; d.  Hawwa  : 
ibid.;  undetermined  ibid.  ( = 
60?). 

ntr  Seth  (the  patriarch)  : 10. 

N'CTn  Terme  d.  Dade:  39. 
snsn  Tata  niece  of  Bardesa : 39. 


GLOSSARY  C 


GENERAL  GLOSSARY 


N3N  father:  pi.  pnvuN  36:  5. 

"UN  perish  : 9 : 7. 

NJ“Q1tt  destroyer : 36:  5. 

NON  stone : Ntm  ’ON  Hyv. 

NUN,  NINON  lead  (tin?):  19:  10, 
39:  5.  N"i 3J?:  Montg. 

UN  hire : NT3N  Pogn  B,  NTjy  Lidz 
2. 

NU'N  roof  : 6 : 7. 

NmTN  letter,  of  divorce  writ : 8 : 
13- 

NUN  ear:  Lidz  4,  'Tin  Schw  I. 
njdtn  alcove:  12:  13. 

IN,  Mand.  iy  or:  8:  17,  Lidz  2; 

if : Pogn  B ; repeated  = 
if  ...  or : Pogn  B. 
njin  a disease:  24:  2. 
piN  squeeze:  pVN  1:  11. 
niN  ,nnN  letter  of  alphabet:  nmiN 
9:  5,  NmnN  35:  9. 

NnnN  sweating  fever : 24 : 2. 
i?TN  go:  N:btN  2:  1,  non  6:  6; 
impf : b’TN  36:  4,  byrn, 
bun  Pogn  B ; impv : ibrN 
Ellis  1,  ibTN  Schw  F, 
bry  ,bny  Pogn  B. 

NriN  brother:  pi.  w.  suff.  'lnN  4:  3. 

NriNnN  sister  : 39:  9. 

NJriN  relative:  34:  2. 
iriN  take  hold  of:  11:  4. 


"inN  be  behind,  tarry : Af.  Wohls 
2417. 

inN  behind:  pD'Niny  Pogn  B. 
“ilnN  do.:  8:  3,  oinN  Stiibe  58. 
"N  oh:  Hal. 

“I'N  oh(  ?)  : Schwab  F. 
pS'N  as:  32:  9. 

NJ^'N  tree:  34:  5. 

pN  nought:  'ONE'  which  is  not 
Schw  M. 

rVN  there  is:  n^JTN  37:  3 ; nsny  are 
in  him,  Pogn  B. 
soy  = Talm.  ntn  = ns  rpN, 
Lidz  4. 

rrb  is  not:  Pogn  B. 

HEIN  error  for  following  nplN  ?: 
Schw  G. 

^sn  eat:  36:  7;  riN^sn,  whoever 
(f)  eats,  Pogn  B. 
n^en  food:  18:  6. 

^N  unto,  D^y  i?N  1:  15  (see  by). 
Nn^Ngod:  7:4;  Nnb'N  14;  'p6n,  pi. 

16:  5 (also  Glossary  A). 
Nnnhx  goddess:  Wohls  2417: 
5,  nj"6n  (nN)  Wohls  2422, 
2426  (or,  curse?). 

Nmn^N  deity:  38:  7. 
q^N  Af.  teach:  NS Hal;  N'Sl^Nb 
Pogn  B;  nNS'^n,  ib.  (Pogn 
as  from  ^). 


(281) 


282 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


DX,  D’X  if:  2:  3;  repeated,  whether 
...  or,  Ellis  1. 

XDX,  XD'X  mother  : pTD'X  8 : 4,|VXDy, 
38:  14;  plur.  pnnnD'N,  36: 
5- 

XHlDDlX?  parallel  to  cattle,  posses- 
sions, Schw  M. 

px  be  true:  Hof.  poino  , Schw  M. 
jox  Amen:  e.  g.  jdx  pox,  14: 
8;  pm  py,  Pogn  B (see  p. 

63). 

xnnmn  faith:  29:  12. 

|ON  denominative  of  ximx 
artisan  ( ?)  in  X'UOXn  |XO 
pDXnJOX , whoever  has 
worked  for  you,  Pogn  B. 
T3X  say,  command : 2 : 3 ; Etpe. 
“iDD'X  30:  7,  lonx  37:  5. 
tcxd  word:  Schw  M,  -imo  13: 
2. 

xiox  tree-top?:  34:  5. 

|X  if  : in  p , Lidz  4 : 9. 

px  yea:  pm  py  Pogn  B (see  pox). 

xnxux  vessels  : 38  : 3. 

xixd  vessel  n'zrS  ;xo , Schw  F. 
'B3X  face:  13:  5,  p:'E3D  in  your 
presence,  Pogn  B,  no.  31. 
«1X  anger : Schw  F. 

'EX  over?  po'EX  psiy  Schw  R. 
XCUX,  ''X  (’nets  and  ’ins)  man:  1: 

12,  etc.;  constr.  ymx  7 : 

13,  coy  38:  8;  pi.  T'TX  7: 

15,  XC’JX  32:  10.  X'C’XJX 

38:  II. 

C”X  man:  ncxi  'X.  Ellis  5. 
xnn:x  woman,  wife:  31:  9,  32:  1; 
xnnrx  90  4;  xnn'x  3 : 3,  7: 
15,  etc.;  nn’JVX  Schw  M; 
xnnx  3:3;  xnny,  Lidz  2; 


pi.  'CO  1:12,  xco  35 : 8. 
ndx  heal:  I'D',  w.  suf.  1:  15;  Etp. 
’Dir  Wohls  2422;  ppls. 
X'DX,  X'DXD,  Lidz  IC. 

1DX,  xniDX  healing,  etc.:  1 : 3, 
13:  8;  pi.  3:  1,  etc.  (see 
p.  129). 

nox,  XDX  myrtle:  13:  3,  Pogn  B. 
xtSeo'X  hall:  12:  13. 
xnaipD'X,  OD'X,  ooy  threshold:  6: 
4,  9:  11,  Lidz  5. 

jnpDX  ? Wohls  2422  (see  Frankel 
ad  loc.). 

"iDX  bind,  charm,  of  magic:  4:  1, 
etc.;  "lono  19:  14;  Af. 

ppl.  pn'-iDD  Pogn  B. ; n'3 
X’TDy, prison,  ib.  (see  p. 
52). 

XTDX,  ''X,  n]}  bond,  spell,  angel: 
4:  3,  etc. 

XUD’X  ditto.  4:  3,  etc. 
xtdx  binding:  Lidz  5. 

XTDifO  spell : 3 : 1. 

xmnD'X  goddess:  2:  7,  etc.  (see  p. 

70 ; 

xmD'X  ditto?  Ellis  3,  Wohls 
2422  (but  see  Frankel; 
is  the  form  a confusion 
with  or  feminine  of 

XTD'X ?). 

xyx  wood : 38 : 2. 

“IX  moreover:  3:  11,  etc.;  plX, 
Schw  I. 

pEX  turn  away:  Pogn  B,  Lidz  ia. 
'TEX  darkness : Schw  F. 

'P'BX  epithet  of  p3*iD  7:  11. 
dieiex  praeparatumf : 13:  12. 
X'l'ppx  keys : Pogn  B. 

XjTX  trap:  Wohls  2417. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


283 


xmix  way:  Hal  3. 
jmNOiN  Aramaean  (so  read  in 
Pogn  B,  27,  ext.). 
nyiN  earth:  2:  2;  NpiK,  Myhr, 

Pogn  B. 
fire  : 8 : 14. 

ditto:  14:  7;  xnxc’y, 
Pogn  B. 

XJTE’N  fever : 24  : 2 ; xnty'N  Schw  G. 
XO'K'X  guilt : Schw  PSBA  xii,  299; 
C”2  oytyx,  Schw  M (see  p. 
86). 

enchant : 2 : 3. 

XDK”X  enchantment,  ibid. 

NDC’N  rump:  'JlC’y , Pogn  B. 

HX  sign  of  accus. : Schw  M (Heb.). 
NON  come : 8 : 9 ; Af.  ,n,n,x  ,9:7. 
jnx  = foy  press?:  38:  12. 

Ninx  place:  9:  8;  ins  -inN2  one 
after  the  other,  38:  11; 
X1J12  afterwards,  Schw 
F ; 1D2  in  place  of,  after, 
1 : 12,  28 : 2. 

2,  '2  in:  passim;  ’l12ns',2,  2:7;  '2 
XJiCTp,  2:  3 ; xt2>2 , in  that, 

Schw  I ( ?). 

'J1J2  a class  of  deities:  19:  6 (cf. 
Glossary  A). 

P2  an  interjectional  call  for  divine 
help,  in  X21  xoic?  }J2, 
Pogn  B (cf.  the  Syriac 
root ; Pognon,  “maledic- 
diction”). 

ni2  be  ashamed:  impv.  pi.  mm2, 
Pogn  B. 

N12  come  in : px2  Schw  G. 

XP2  plunder  ( ?)  : 5 : 3. 


XT2  cleave:  X'ynbl  xSx^J,  Pogn  B 
(see  him,  p.  50). 

1DX2  = mXD  some  form  of  evil : 
Schw  L. 

bo2  cease,  abandon:  impv.  7:  15, 
pass.  part.  17:  13,  act. 
( ?)  X^0X2  Pogn  B ; Pa. 
undo:  17:  13,  7:  13  xSo2 
inf. ; Etpa.  Schw  I. 

ho'2  because  of:  11:  8 (cf.  blta’D) . 

XJOX2  womb  : 39 : 3. 

ion  ? 32  : 10,  33  : 12. 

p2  define,  specify  ( ?)  : XJ’2,  Schw  F. 
P2,  ’2,  'J\3  : between:  )’2  ... 
p2  , whether.  . . or,  3 : 5 ; 
b...  '2,  between...  and, 
29:  11 ; X’2’2 , ;j?2,  Pogn 
B. 

XJ'2  midst:  6:  11. 
m2  within  : X2'ii  JV2  30  : 4. 

xny2  egg;  Pogn  B. 

t^'2  evil:  8:  16,  etc. 

xni£”2  malady  : 34 : 7. 
xnincyu  ditto  ( ?)  : Schw  L. 

XfV2  house,  family:  pmm2  12:  2. 

pmri2  6:  6;  Mand.  with 
suffix,  nm2,  38:  1,  nn\x2 
Lidz  4 ; plur.  p’xro  38 : 
11.  Of  a sorcerer’s 
school  8:  11,  19:  17. 

(“122)  p^220,  xrp22Q  class  of  de- 
mons : 2 : 7,  7 : 17,  10 : 4, 
etc.  (see  p.  79). 

D^2  muzzle : 2:  1 1,  Lidz  4. 

1G2  swallow  up,  destroy,  Etp.  3 : 7, 
9:  6. 

XJ'J’2  building:  38:  3;  of  cattle 
barn,  40:  4;  construction 
(abstract)  16:  6. 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


284 


N"3N‘D,2  pillow:  Lidz  5. 

NJ3D1D3  in  '33...  snnbx,  a goddess  of 
censing,  embalming  (?), 
Wohls  2417. 

Ni?3  ask:  4:6;  N"N3,  act.  ppl. 
f.,  Pogn  B. 

sSm  husband:  8:  13,  etc. 

N333b,172  class  of  demons  (see 
p.  80 ) : 2 : 3 ; in  Pogn  B, 

’sosnSs,  'jonba. 

*r\']}2 , Syr.  iO'3  cattle : Wohls  2422, 
34:  8,  37:  2. 

Nipa  herd:  Pogn  B,  no.  27  (so 
understand). 

"13,  p son.  passim;  Heb.  p,  41  ; 

plur.  e.  g.  X312  l'23,  1:9; 
plur.  w.  suffix  1323 , 11 : 9, 
29:  6,  38:  4. 

NJ333  daughter : Ellis  1 ; const. 
D3  passim,  ma  36:  2, 

Hand,  na  38:4,  nxa 
Pogn  B (J3N3,  n'3  compon- 
ent of  name  Pogn  B,  ?)  ; 
plur.  ]i2  3:  3,  pnnaa  3: 
5.  sSpna  voice,  16:  10. 
xn:a.  demons,  29:  7. 

■>2  apart  in  p»  "12  19:  15,  Pogn  B. 

N32  the  open  country:  17:  3, 
29:  7. 

202  Pa.  put  outside : Pogn  B. 

,N23  foreigner:  29:  8. 

3133  bright,  of  angels:  Schw 

I. 

N33  create  : 2 : 2,  Myhr. 

N332  hail:  14:  3. 

n32  flee:  Ellis  1 : 8. 

132  bless  : 25  : 3 ; Pa.  N323  Pogn  B 
(=  '272  ?). 

p32  flash  (lightning):  12:  8. 


Np33  lightning:  12:  8. 
xnVinp  virgin:  13:  1. 

NN2  D'xpa  proud : Schw  M. 

32,  212  bend:  X23'2 , 2:4;  inf.  3N20, 
Etpe.,  Etpa.,  Pogn  B.,  Pa. 
reply  : 2 : 4. 

N32  back  : 8 : 3. 

N312  lintel : prrn312 ,6:4. 

^22  knead:  12:  5 (of  magical  op- 
eration) . 

332  be  strong : Pa.  {'33220  , 30 : 5. 
N332  man:  7:  17,  35:  7,  40: 
12. 

N132,  N3312,  Mand.  S3N32,  N3312 

strong:  3:  2,  19:  13, 

Pogn  A,  B. 

xni322  might : Schw  F. 

^132  great:  5:  3,  bl32n  idd  Schw  F. 
NJVTiTJ  woven  headdress  : Lidz 
2. 

332  wall  up  (against  demons)  : 17: 

8. 

12  midst:  122  34:  6,  12^  13:  10,  12  JO 
32:  6. 

312  tie,  bind  (of  a spell)  : 29:  10. 
Nni2  eruption,  noise : '2  bxp  Pogn 
B. 

N212  color,  form:  p2V2  7:  15  = 
p2i2  Myhr. 

N212  body:  Hal,  Schw  Q;  nai2, 
term  for  a man’s  inamor- 
ata, 13:  12. 

St 2 rob  : Pogn  B. 

3T2  inhibit,  ban:  7:  13,  Pogn  B. 
vXnrT2  ban:  7:  13. 

N2H3T2  magical  condemnation : 
Montg. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


285 


ND’J  (magic)  divorce:  8:  7 (q.  v.). 

X"!OU  Gukaean : Pogn  B. 

ND’J  great : Schw  F. 

side:  pi.  JD’J  34:  4;  familiar 
spirit:  6:  2,  12:  9. 

circuit:  D^y  'J,  25:  7. 

rock  ( ?)  : Pogn  B (so 
Pognon ; or  of  the  magic 
circle?). 

circuit  NKW  ’^3^3  Stiibe 
58,  Pogn  B. 

Kn^3^3  spheres  : 1^3^33  Nm3  8 : 13. 
N^333  ditto : ’3'sy  N'^n:  Pogn  B. 
N^3’3  ditto:  N’DC5>  ^3'3  , 6:  II. 

Nn^3,  Nnx^y,  = tibxbl : Pogn  B 
(from  b^?). 

D^3,  NO'b3,  = to  NO'ba,  Lidz  4. 

^1^3  engrave : spbj  3’Y . 11:9. 

^03  h»3N  ? Wohls  2422  (“good 
works”  ?). 

5lt33  engrave  : 36 : 7. 

T03  completion:  ;or  n’03  ny  Schw 

F. 

N3’3  Jinn:  Hyv,  prob.  37:  10  (see 
p.  80). 

N333,  NT313  troop:  7:  1 7 ; species 

of  demons  37 : 6. 

NY’YJ,  NnV¥3  polished  armor:  2:  1, 
27:  3. 

NT13  an  itching  disease : Wohls 
2422. 

X’3T3,  K’33’3  north : Pogn  B. 

ND33  bone,  body:  7:  17. 

^p33  Pa.,  chain:  Pogn  A (root 

bbl  ?). 

XOK’U  body : Stiibe. 


3,  3 relative  particle,  passim ; with 
following  half-vowel,  H, 
e.  g.  ,33,3 . In  Mand.  3 
for  3,  38:  12,  14,  Pogn 

A,  p.  13.  Used  to  resume 
a preposition,  Pogn  B,  no. 
12,  1.  6 (For  omission  of 
the  particle  in  genitive 
construction,  see  p.  39.). 

'33  mine : '3'3'3 , on  my  own 
part,  2:5;  H33 , his,  30 : 
4- 

^'3  ditto:  7:  1 2;  n ^33,  in 
order  that,  28 : 4. 

N33  lurk,  of  demons:  1:  6,  6:  4, 
18:  6. 

p33  cling,  haunt,  of  demons : 11:6, 
Pogn  B. 

333  see  33f . 

333,  n3,3  b]>  on  account  of: 
25:  3- 

N333  pasture  land : Ellis  3. 
N3N3330  chariot-driver : Pogn 

B. 

N^3'3  (angelic)  cohorts:  8:  14. 

(in)  S3'3  judgment,  of  the  last 
day:  4:  4,  19:  8,  Wohls  2417. 
313  dwell:  t'3'3  Ellis  5,  J133'in  ( ?) 
Myhr. 

N313  dwelling-place  and  its 
precincts:  32:  11,  38 : 2, 
Lidz  4 (N3N13). 

N!333  ditto:  29:  8. 

8fl3'3  ditto:  8:  4,  29:  6. 

N33D  ditto : Schw  E,  Hal. 

E’13  tread  down : impv.  pc’13  Lidz  4. 
N3K1P3  evil-doing:  Lidz  4. 


286 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


sm  chase : Pogn  B. 

fear:  i:  12,  Peal  and  Pael, 
nbnn  fearful,  Schw  F. 
NibmD  terrifying:  35:  7. 

{6l3XH  ('itaflo'Aoi : 35:  4. 

net  devil:  1 : 7,  39:  5,  etc.  (see  p. 

74)- 

xnn  pure  : 27  : 4. 

xnmn  place:  prom  (sic)  Schw  G. 
nan  record:  14:  6,  29:  9. 

inn,  Mand.  IDT,  male:  6:  2, 
39:  5,  Ellis  5. 

XJnmn  name:  28:  5. 
sin  draw  up : Pogn  B,  Etpa. 

X'Sino  reliever,  epith.  of  Ra- 
phael: 34:  7. 

X^Xt-H  place  in  Babylonia : Hal. 
on  blood : Schw  M. 

NOT,  be  like,  appear  in  disguise,  of 
spirits : X'onb  impf.  Pogn 
B,  Etpe.  1:12,  etc. 
xniDi  likeness:  i»n  lonn , 6:4; 
plur.  xnxion,  39:  9 (see  p. 
82). 

not  sleep:  Wohls  2417. 
ion  be  astounded : Stiibe  47. 
npon  a disease  ( ?)  : 34:  10. 

(nn)  anno  east:  Wolds  2422  (so 
Fninkel),  STO,  Pogn  B. 
xmnon  ban-writ:  32:  4,  etc. 

(ppn)  xpmn,  fern.  xnpmn  child: 
11:6,  spoil  36:  4; 
spin,  xpixn  ditto:  18:  6,  Lidz 
5- 

xnpmn  ditto.  Pogn  B. 
x:»nn  healing:  37:  1,  Pogn  B. 

SOin  south : Wohls  2422. 
nD'ii  true : 13:8. 


xn  see!  here!:  7:  13,  18:  8 in 
rmosn,  Lidz  5. 

SOU  limb  (the  248  members)  : 

Schw  E,  F,  Stiibe  56. 
nn  return  : 18 : 9. 
sin,  Pleb.  nn  be:  'inn,  1:2,4; 
ppl.  = future,  37 : 3 ; 
Mand.  w.  prep.,  nbnnn, 
38:  13 ; n”,  Schw  M. 
xSmn  mansion:  38:  2,  Hyv,  Pogn 
A,  B,  Lidz  2 ; heavenly 
temple,  14:  3. 
pan  thus:  17:  10. 
inn  ditto:  8:  8. 

nnSSn  Halleluia,  magical  term:  7: 

17,  etc.;  misspelt,  20:  5, 
24:  4,  31  : 8,  32:  12. 

"6n  walk:  p^sn'O  3:  3. 
pan  turn:  psno,  of  the  angels  who 
revolve  the  planets,  Stiibe 
8;  Etp.  ib.  1.  14,  36:  1. 
nasn,  nrsn,  iD'sn,  man  magical 
terms  for  reversing 

charms,  Ellis  3,  and  astro- 
logical fate,  Schw  G (sun, 
earth,  stars,  constella- 

tions). 

snnsn  a disease : Wohls  2422 
(Frankel  reads  sn'DDn,  see 
below). 

s'isin  mental  conceptions:  Pogn 

A. 

xncn  now  : 3 : 1 1,  4 : 1. 

1 and,  passim : n.  b.  pan  3 : 3, 
xb-n  14:  6,  'SJXD'i  Pogn 
B no.  24,  xnapjxi  30:  3, 
smnsi  38:  12. 

1 woe ! : 1:9. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


287 


TTi  glaucoma  : Nfiro  '1,  Stiibe  44  = 
Wohls  2416  (see  p.  93). 
ni,  it  in  n?3N  like,  37:  10;  mS  apud, 
3:  3 syia  TV  JO  from  the 
body,  Schw  M ; mb’O  3:3; 
ru  sign  of  accusative,  w. 
noun  3 : 4 ; w.  pron.  7 : 13  ; 
w.  subject  of  passive  ’S’bt? 
mnn  IT1  Schw  F ; resuming 
!»,  5 : 3- 

■'3UT  flies  : Wohls  2422. 

N33?  marriage-portion : Pogn  B. 
pr  buy,  Pa.  sell : Pogn  B. 

33?  see  Pogn  B,  p.  38:  ‘‘an  inde- 
pendent root  = (1)  turn, 
(2)  cherish”;  but  the 
passages  in  his  bowls  can 
be  explained  by  equation 
with  333,  lead  turn,  order. 
K313D?  wasp : Pogn  B. 

(nt)  IT PD  on  this  side:  13:  7. 

"in?  Pa.  put  on  guard,  Etpa.  be  on 
guard : Pogn  B. 

NJTlt  corner  14:2,  Pogn  B. 

31?  fly  off : 13’TK?  131?  Wohls  2414. 
(Jl?)  Nir,  x*i XT  spouse:  38:  13,  etc. 
(?l?)  'XTX?  success:  38:  13. 
n?r,  rmr  depart:  nrn,  jinp  Ellis  3 
(see  p.  130)  ; Pa.  jrp’fo, 
13:  7;  Etp.  jimp  10:  6, 
Nnrsny  Pogn  B.  (cf.  n?3, 
yi? ; see  to  3 : 2). 

in?,  yyr,  Nyr  ditto : iiyr , 7 : 5 ; 
ppls.  y?,  IT?  7:  I2>  = 
tty?,  py?,  Myhr ; py?3r  7 : 5. 
p’f  impious,  of  charms:  2:  7,  4: 
1,  Pogn  B. 

xniJTI  impiety  : 30  : 5. 


XV?  glory : 7 : 5,  Pogn  B. 

NPNT  weapon : Pogn  B. 

NT?  restraint,  loss:  34:  12; 
'?  JT3 , prison : Pogn  B, 
Lidz  2. 

T?  honey:  12:  5. 

N3?  victorious:  37:  11;  px?  NTi, 
JN’BNT  40:  25,  Pogn  B, 
Lidz  5. 

xno?  victory,  etc.,  parallel  to 
NJ31DN  Pogn  A,  B. 
pour  : 12 : 5. 

NDD’?  hair:  Pogn  A. 

D?  resound  : 6 : 1 1. 

NOT'D  resonance:  6:  11. 

JOT  Pa.  designate  (of  setting  apart 
the  magic  bowls):  3:  1, 
31,  etc.;  invite:  Pogn  B. 

(3D?)  smo?  singing-girl  - harlot: 
Pogn  B,  Lidz  2. 

31DTD  psalm:  14:  3. 

NIC?  a precious  stone  ? : Hyv. 

NJV3?  harlot : Pogn  B,  Lidz  2. 

'S'?  hairs,  used  in  magic?:  7:  13 
(see  p.  153). 

3BNT  foul : Pogn  A. 

Np’T  blast:  12:  8;  plur.  blast-de- 
mons 14:  5,  19:  3;  ’py?, 
Schw  M (see  p.  80). 

?"i?  equip  magically:  4:  6,  19:  13, 
31  : 4,  38:  2,  Pogn  B. 

NJ3T3T,  'S3?  magical  equip- 
ment: 38:  13,  40:  2, 

Pogn  B,  Lidz  2. 

Ny3T  seed : Schw  I,  Hyv. 

Nivy3?  posterity : 1:8. 

3n  Pa.  love:  13 : 4. 

ton  love  : ’3133,  13  : 9. 


288  UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM. 

X3n  hide : Etp.  Schw  I. 

Snn  Pa.  injure,  destroy:  i:  io. 

x^nnc  the  destroyer  9:8; 
travail,  of  a woman,  13: 
11. 

x?an,  'in  injury,  destruction: 

Schw  F,  G,  N. 
xbxan  ditto:  7:  16. 

ditto:  32:  8,  37:  11. 

Nn8nn  ditto:  16:  6. 
xmbzin  ditto:  32:  8. 

P3n  embrace,  cherish,  of  angels : 
13:  4- 

n^n  enchant : 6 : 6. 
nn  one:  xnn  4:1;  nc’jrm  u,  Hllis3. 
X~nn  one  another:  31:6,  Pogn 
B. 

nn  Af.  surround:  4:  6. 

Nnxrn  (magic)  circle:  39:  7. 
N‘mtn  precinct,  property  : 40 : 
4.  w.  N"’n , livestock, 
mn  new:  xmn,  x'nxn  Pogn  B;  f. 
xnmn  13  ; 1 1. 

Pa.  show:  37:  7,  Pogn  A,  B. 
(3in)  N'Tn  guilty:  Schw  F. 

X'in  serpent:  plur.  xnxiX'n,  Pogn 
B. 

pin,  )‘in^(  without:  Schw  I. 

xvno  precinct : Schw  P. 

C’in  quick!  magical  interjection: 

14:  4 q.  v.;  also  iTC’inx 
t?irv,  ib.;  ncinx  Stube 
14;  tl’n^  Schw  N (between 
angel-names),  Pogn  B, 
no.  5,  end;  cf.  'Dn. 

Nnmrn  a skin-disase : Wohls  2422. 
xrn  see : 30 : 4.  Pogn  B ; Etpe. 
appear : JlTn'n  6 : 9,  etc. 


BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 

torn  apparition:  pi.  X'iXiin  31: 

10,  Pogn  A,  Lidz  5. 
xrrn  ditto:  30:  5. 

Nun  sin:  1 : 3,  4 (of  demons). 

xxon  sinner:  D’yon  (?)  Schw 
M. 

xnxun  sin : Schw  PSBA,  xii, 
299  (see  p.  86). 

^lon  pluck  away : Lidz  4. 

xjvaon  a demon:  8:  2,  8,  12; 
xna'un.  17:  4. 

Ton  switch,  plague:  30:  14. 

X'n  live:  |in'  16:  4,  |vru  36:  6; 

Af.  ’nxn  of  mother,  24:  5. 
X'n  living:  38:  7,  39:  8:  pi. 
life:  30:  1,  38:  13  (see 
Glossary  A), 
xrrn  animal : 7 : 14. 
xnvn  ditto  Hal;  pi.  X’JXvn  39: 
6,  xnx'Jrn  38:  3,  Pogn 
B. 

mrra  healing:  Schw  H. 

S'n  Pa.  make  strong:  J^’no  pass. 

31 : 5.  ( xS'nno,  n^nm, 
Schw  F ?). 

xS'n  power:  2:  1,  pi.  xr'rn  2: 
2 ; xnb'o  b'na  37 : 4. 

(in)  nznan  a skin-disease:  so  read 
in  Wohls  2422  for  ;n 
(Frankel.  xmn). 

XO'un  sage,  in  sorcery:  39:  7. 

(Sn)  xhbn  marriage  chamber : 36 : 
7- 

'Sn  sickness : Schw  F. 

xaSn  milk : Pogn  B. 

xoSn,  '’n  dream:  6:  10,  31:  4,  39: 

10,  etc.  (see  p.  82). 
pbn  arm:  19:  13. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


289 


vbrt  weak:  Pogn  B.  Lidz  la. 

Non  father-in-law : Pogn  B no.  29 
(but  read  'Sion  ?). 

NEton  mother-in-law : Ellis  3, 
Schw  G (curse  of). 

NDm  wrath : Schw  F. 
non  name  of  a place : 5 : 4. 

Dion  do  violence : 2 : 10. 

POSH  leaven  : 13:  12. 

NT  ton  wine : Hyv,  Pogn  B. 

Niton  ass : 40 : 4,  14. 

Nmtoin  pebble-charm  : 19:  16,  plur, 
pom,  Noom,  4:  1,  30:  3. 
38  : 1 1 (see  p.  87). 
pompon  five  of  you:  8:  31.  17:  4. 

Nntron  fifth:  6:  8. 

Non  womb:  36:  5. 

Non  encamp : p’Ono  ? Schw  I. 

Noon  palate : Pogn  B. 
pon  throttle,  of  a lilith : 18 : 6,  Lidz 
5- 

NHNDn,  NDDn  sufferings : Schw  M, 

Q. 

’Dn  quickly  (see  to  KPn):  13:  9; 

T on  out  upon  thee, 
Schw  M. 

NlD’n  grace:  13:  6. 

NJlDN.n  contumelious:  30:  4. 
^Dn  cease : p^rnn  Schw  I. 

DDn  jealous  : N'nODNn  NO'N,  Lidz  4; 
poDNn  ? Schw  I. 

(pn)Nn'San  a skin-disease:  Wohls 
2422,  end. 

pan  desire : Schw  F. 

NTn  name  of  a place : Hal,  Schw 
E (Hal.  identifies  with  an 
Arabic  place-name ; Schw 


with  a place  mentioned  in 
Jer.  Sheb.  viii,  5). 

bpn  twist : Pogn  B. 

(Nin)  NnonnN  a pungent  herb  ?: 
28:  3. 

Din  Pa.  lay  waste:  38:  11,  Pogn  B. 

NDin  sword  : 37  : 8. 

Tin  Pa.  terrify:  ’trim  inf.  8:  7. 

NnmnN  a kind  of  spell : Stube 
25- 

Tin  a pungent  herb  ?:  28:  3. 

Dm  ban:  pass,  ppl.,  7:  17,  Pogn 
P>. 

DNm  curse:  Montg. 

NO'm  anathema : Schw  M. 

NnomN  ditto : 2 : 6 ; also  Nnonn , 
read  by  Frankel  in  Wohls 
2426 : 2. 

poim  Hermon  -.2:6. 

NDm  an  eruptive  disease:  Wohls 
2422  ( read  n for  n ) . 

DiDin  ditto:  29:  9. 

Tin  Pa.  blaspheme:  8:  16. 

rpm  sharp:  7:  17. 

cnn  Pa.  enchant,  poison:  7:  13  of 
water  (see  p.  84). 

ptrm  black  arts  : 5 : 2,  33  : 8, 
etc.,  Pogn  B (see  p.  84). 

NKnn  sorcerer  (harms)  : Pogn 
B,  N'ttnn,  NHNDnn,  masc. 
and  fern. 

NnDnm  empoisonment : 39  : 6. 

NDltt’n  darkness : 16:  6:  pi.  NTim 
Pogn  B. 

Dnn  seal  (magically)  : Dnnoi  omn 
passim;  31  : 5,  39:  ix,  etc. 

N?mn,  Nonm  seal : 7:4,  19:  15, 
38:  7- 


290 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


x»inn  besealment:  9:  11. 
j'Dinn(?)  ditto:  34:  1. 
xnonn  ditto:  3:  1,  30:  1,  33: 

13,  Pogn  A xntaxnn. 
xnomn  ditto:  Pogn  B. 

'H’H  gazelles:  Wohls  2414. 

Snu  dip : Schw  F. 
yro  seal:  Ellis  1. 

nyno  a seal : ib. 
mo  Etpa.  purified:  12:  7. 

(mt:)  HO  good:  29:  9. 
xno  mountain:  7:  12,  etc. 
noo  ? Ellis  1. 

xb'tD  shade  : xb'D  OH  ’TB’  29 : 9. 

’bo’C  covers  (used  of  the 
bowls)  : 4 : i. 

jbbtHD  herb  in  a magic  recipe : 
28:  3. 

xoo  unclean:  34:  10. 

’Oio  defilements:  29:  7. 
fpo  Pa.  defile : Pogn  A. 
xniyn  false  deity : pi.  xmyta  Wohls 
2422,  xnyo  ib.  2426. 

JOSiO  the  deluge:  10:  5. 

TtO  Af.  frighten  away:  7:  17. 

xmo  disturbing:  'o  x:on  30: 
5- 

mo  trouble:  Schw  I. 

RIO  tear,  pluck:  18:  6 ppl.  of  a 
lilith. 

xnano,  talon,  toe:  19:  19; 

pi.  X’Dtuh,  Pogn  A,  B. 
xnano  agitation  : Lidz  4. 

DSHO  etc.  some  part  of  the  heart : 

11:7  and  parallels. 

□HO  stop  up,  of  the  ears : Lidz  4. 


X'  interjection:  nn  X’  14:  7,  Bin', 
rmnx  1.  4. 

bn’  bring:  nxbix,  Pogn  B,  no.  28. 

B’H’  dry  up : Pogn  B. 

T hand:  OUT  19:  14,  nTX  34:  13; 

'TX  by  on  side  of,  Schw 
E;  th  per,  8:  13;  n’nn 
’bn  'T  7:  12;  xnT  their 

hand  ?,  Schw  E,  Q. 

Hr,’  give:  36:  4,  Ellis  1. 

XOl’  day:  4:  4 (of  judgment). 

XOO’  day-time:  3:  3,  etc.; 

xoxo'x  39:  10;  xoxoy 

Pogn  B. 

rb'  bear  (children)  : 1 : 8. 
xrb'  child  : 36  : 6. 
xbxilO  parturition:  39:  n. 

xo’  sea : 7 : 12,  8:9,  14:2,  Pogn  B. 

XO’  adjure:  XJyHB’Ol  xo'oio  7:  16,  cf. 
40:  5,  etc.  ;n'oix8:  6,’n'Oix 
17:  8;  with  by  8:  12.  So 
understand  J'Oio  eiiB”H, 
Schw  1 : 5 (not  “water 
magic” !). 

xnoio  exorcism:  1:  12;  pi. 

Tnxoio  Lidz  5. 
xn'010  ditto : Schw  I. 

XJ’O'  right-hand:  6:  10,  Pogn  A. 
X'O'n  south:  Pogn  B (with 
X'H-0  ). 

ID’  = HDX  : I : 12. 

np\  np'x  a disease : Wohls  2422, 
Schw  G (who  reads  Hpix 
— the  preceding  na’xa  is 
misspelling  for  this,  plus 
a,  and). 

Tp’  burning,  of  fire:  4:  7. 

Nrp'  glory  = name:  8:  6. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


291 


TpK’  glorious,  of  the  Name: 
Lidz  5. 

NT  throw:  NTD,  Lidz  4,  pierced 
with  a lance  ?,  but  see 
Lidz,  and  cf.  Ty. 

Nn,TN  the  Law : Hyv,  Michael 
prince  of  the  L. 

NmTO  javelin:  11:7  and  par- 
allels. 

tOVi\  'T  Jordan  (mystical  river)  : 
Pogn  B. 

NET  month:  6:  5,  Pogn  B. 

NpT  greens:  18:  6. 

NTT1  howler  (class  of  demons)  : 

15:  6,  Myhr  2,  Schw  Cj 
(see  p.  81.). 

trr  inherit:  rrntniD?  Ellis  5. 
(jty)Nnrty  sleep:  6:  10. 

30’  sit:  13:  7,  etc.;  impf.  1st  per. 

3'ny  Pogn  B. 

NED'1  bowstring:  2:  5. 

3,  '3  like : '3  12:  8,  H Kin  '3  32 : 4 ; 

’3. . A3  , correlative,  13:  7; 
E3  Pogn  B,  Lidz  5 ; Nt33 
Ellis  1 ; ni3X  37 : 10 ; fc6'N3 
as  if  ?,  Schw  F. 

3N3  Af.  put  in  pain  : N2'3»,  |N3y3ND 
Pogn  B,  Lidz  2. 

N3'3  pain,  sickness:  Wohls 
2422,  Pogn  B. 

E33  prevail : by  133b  impf.  Pogn  B. 
K>33  press  down  (technical  phrase 
for  the  bowl  magic):  4: 
I,  38:  12,  impv.  piy’313 

Lidz  4 ; Etpe.  6 : 9. 

NKOO  term  for  the  bowl:  6:  1, 
etc.;  Noby  000  (?)  28: 
2 ; step  of  a throne  12 : 6. 


2E3  deceive : 32 : 9,  Pogn  B. 

NJE3  so:  16:  8. 

Nnxars  "mb  7:9? 

EE3  artificial  parallel  to  Tin  ? : 
Lidz  5. 

NT13  pitcher : Pogn  B. 

N3313  star:  4:  4 the  7 stars;  34:  6; 

Hal,  Schw  E. 
bo  hold:  b 3't3  inf.  4:  1. 

]13  arrange:  TT3  1st  pers.  15:  5. 

NJ3E>  residence : Pogn  B. 

'3V3  planets:  Ellis  3 (see  § 3). 

NS*2  stone,  as  charm:  Ellis  3 (read 
ND13  ?). 

N33  tooth : Lidz  4. 

b3,  bl3  all:  7:  6 (both  forms),  etc.; 

}NDbl3  , everyone,  Lidz  2. 
xb'bs  garland:  13:  11. 

Nnb3  daughterin-law : Ellis  3, 
Schw  G. 

Nnoba  bitch:  Schw  L. 

T33  Etpa.  return:  Pogn  B (see  him 
p.  20). 

NT013  priest:  19:  10. 

’T33  magic  ?:  Wohls  2426. 
NHTD3N  magical  practice  : Stiibe 
2. 

p3  so : 3 : 1 1 ; J'33  therefore,  9 : 7, 
here,  25:  1. 

(N33)xnNlJ3  associates:  19:  9. 

NDJ3  wing : Pogn  B. 

NntTJ3  congregation : O no  'ID'S 
Wohls  2422  (see  p.  79)-. 
D3  abridge,  blame : Pogn  B. 

ND3,  NDN3,  D13  (incantation)  bowl: 

7:  13,  31:  1,  Pogn  E 

(ND13),  Lidz  5. 


292 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


XD3  Pa.  cover:  13:  6,  Pogn  B. 

X’D3  covering : Pogn  B. 
xniD3  ditto : 13:6. 

XD’3,  N’Diia,  throne:  8:  14,  14:  3. 
(3y3)  p3y3X  ugliness,  a disease  ?: 
34:  10. 

XDS'3  menstruation  : 29 : 7. 

123  disbelieve : Pogn  B. 

’T3  ? in  o ’nn , Wohls  2422. 

XJmn  sickness:  7:  11,  Wohls 

2422. 

TO  avert,  reverse,  Pe.  Pa.  Etp. : 

Pogn  B,  Lidz  1 a;  Wohls 
2422  (?). 

N333  sphere,  orbit  (astrological 
term):  X’333  X3XKH  ’tnn 

X’nnxo  S'JDmi  : Pogn  B. 
X333  Wohls  2422,  see  X333n. 
\X3l’3  Chaldaeans  : Hyv  (seeSxHD3, 
Gloss  A). 

Nona  honesty : Pogn  B,  Lidz  2. 
ejBO  Pa.  bewitch : Pogn  B,  Lidz  1 a 
'IX’DD  for  ;DC’3t3  ? 
ffiC’'3  sorcery:  Schw  I. 

Tl‘’3  decent,  of  a good  demon:  29: 
7- 

3J33  write,  of  the  charms:  9:  3 etc., 
Pogn  B. 

X3H3,  xram  writing:  Ellis  1. 
XJ33'n3  written  charm : Ellis  3. 
(m3)  333  Pa.  remain,  so  under- 
stand X'3X33?2xS  X'333xS, 
of  the  demons  not  return- 
ing or  remaining,  Lidz  5, 
and  cf.  Noldeke,  Gr.  § 45. 

b to  and  sign  of  accusative 
passim;  with  suff.  '3v 


fern.  7:9,  10;  X3S  = '3^f 
17:  10;  X’b  to  me,  Pogn 
B,  etc.  In  composition, 
pnSrrn,  1:  6,  and  passim 
in  Mandaic  with  verb  and 
pronominal  suffix,  e.  g. 
nivp'32’  I have  divorced 
her,  32 : 9;  for  bv , 19:  10; 
with  verb  to  denote  pur- 
pose, D'ffinS,  Pogn  B,  no. 
23,  1.  45,  46  (cf.  bv). 

sb  not,  passim;  in  Mand.  com- 
pounded with  following 
word,  e.  g.  38:  8,  33Xh. 

( xxSpSxi  labor,  asthma?:  o ni3 
16:  9. 

X3"b,  X3^  heart:  28:  5,  etc.; 

X33 v ii  : 7 and  parallels, 
19:  18. 

be  clad:  2:  2,  8:  3;  Af.  13:  6, 
Pogn  B. 

XC333  garment:  2:2,  13:  6. 

see  t3p3. 

xiS  be  attached  to:  pricy  pib  of 
demons,  6:  3,  X3;J3f3  Pogn 
B. 

XT?  company : Pogn  B. 

01^  curse : Stiibe  4.  Pogn  B,  Lidz 
2 xmxffi  they  cursed  him. 

xnm^  a curse:  5:  1,  31:  4, 
Pogn  B;  Ellis  3:  xnt:S; 
Schwab  M pi.  poiS  (see 
p.  84). 

xmuxb  ditto:  xnx'omxb  pi. 
Pogn  B. 

X3ldS  species  of  demons:  20; 
3- 

nS  Pa.  soil:  pnp'nxbn,  Pogn  A. 

xonb  food : Schw  F. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


293 


K*r6  enchant:  5:  1. 

'nob  species  of  demons : 9 : 7,  32 : 
5-  7.  33:  5’  34:  9>  10; 
XDXD^  Montg. 

X’W,  rrirb  night:  1:  13,  etc.;  X'bb 
Pogn  B. 

male  counterpart  to  lilith : 8 : 
21,  etc. 

xrr^  lilith;  1:  8;  pi.  xrrb’b 
and  xnx'W)  ; n.  b.  nnb’b, 
nb'b,  13:  3,  6 (see  p.  75). 
npb  impv.  np,  recipe,  repeated  term 
in  magical  formula : Hal. 
tongue:  13:  2;  tongue  of 
curses,  charms,  etc.,  4:  1; 
Pogn  B,  Lidz  4 (see  p. 
88). 

xb  100:  xanbn  38:  5:  |xb,  pnxE, 
200,  Schw  E,  F. 

X^JB  sickle,  weapon  of  angels : 7 : 

1 7- 

XTHE  rotten : Pogn  B. 

£310  remove:  '130,  imp.  fern.,  17. 
11. 

pD  suck  : 18 : 6. 

mo  die:  "m  tpe  ppl.  Wohls  2417. 
xrnB  death  : 3 : 6. 

IJTB  ditto:  Wohls  2422. 
xmnBB  killer,  fern.:  36:  5. 
(TB)xnrJB  hair:  jurX’UB  Pogn  B. 
xniD  brain,  head : Schw  F. 
xnB  strike:  ppl.  pi.  jna  6:4;  jinE'D 
Etpe.  18:  7;  Lidz  5. 
xnnD  stroke,  plague:  16:  6. 
xninE  ditto:  40:  8. 


xrrno  ditto:  xnx'no  Pogn  B, 
xnx'n'B  Lidz  ic. 
xnnxD  city:  Pogn  B (see  X31D). 

xrvxnnxD  of  Mahoza : Pogn  B. 
XDB  chance  on,  reach  : Pogn  B ; Af. 

bring,  25  : 5.  In  Pogn  B 
nr deo  (=  nrtSEO),  from 

XYB? 

xniBB  in  'ED,  I pray:  Wohls 
2417. 

bitrE,  Mand.  biErE,  bitsrox  with  n 
and  verb,  because  that : 
4 : 3,  Lidz  5 ; w.  b and 
inf.,  in  order  to : 2 : 6 (cf. 

blE'D  ) . 

X'E,  'E,  ’E’E , Heb.  D'E  water:  X'E 
a disease,  Wohls  2422 
(see  p.  93)  ; XJVV  'E'E  18: 
6;  ’D’xnnE  >B  7:  13;  ’X'XE 
my  w.,  Pogn  B ; D'E  of  the 
heavenly  sea,  8:  14. 
xrB  kind,  species : 1 : 8 ; species  of 
magic,  Ellis  5. 

eat  (denominative)  : 37:  9. 

^E  Pa.  speak : ppl.  Schw  G. 

xn^E  Mand.  xnby'B;  pi.  I^B, 
Mand.  X'oJE,  word,  espe- 
cially of  incantations  : 6 : 
12,  12:  9,  34:  5,  38:  6, 
Pogn  B.  (see  p.  85). 

xnb^E  ditto:  6:  9. 

X^B  xbx^E  ditto : 27 : 5,  38 : 8. 
x^E  be  full:  pxbBrv  12:  7. 
x^’B  flood : Pogn  B. 

XDxSb  angel,  passim  as  title  of  evil 
spirits,  4:  1,  37:  8,  38:  0, 
Wolds  2422  16;  of  dei- 
ties, 36:  5. 


294 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


NTDiOD  female  angel  = god- 
dess: Pogn  B,  no.  15  of 
Estera ; in  his  no.  i_pxnDy 
P npnSd,  prob.  fern,  form 
(Pogn  “queen”). 

NCNiSd  zodiac-sign  19:  9 ( ? ) , his 
constellation  (cf.  Glos- 
sary A). 

NS^D  king:  34 : 8 of  Solomon;  Hyv 
of  Michael ; ib.  “|Sxd  of 
God  (Arabism?  — so 
Noldeke,  p.  295);  11:  5, 
18:  4,  k.  of  demons. 

NH37D  queen:  19:  6,  q.  of  god- 
desses. 

xnnkD  kingdom:  Wohls  2417. 

p,  gen.  pD  from,  passim;  PD  (?, 
Schvv  F 'D  Schvv  H ; w.  1 
assimilated  13:  6,  17:  1, 
SyP  17:  5;  'K3P  from  me, 
Lidz  5,  I'D  ditto, 

Pogn  B.  ID  CD  = 1DC3, 
Wohls  2426,  and  his  note 
p.  29. 

NJD  Pa.  ordain : Schw  F,  arrange 
'D’JD  15:5. 

NflNJD  portion,  in  marriage : 
pi.  »xnspD  Pogn  B. 

NDD  melt : 9 : 6. 

1DD  denom.  fr.  -ids,  bind:  32:  7, 
33:  8. 

stb'yo  robe:  snD'n  p 13:  6. 

N'yVD  intermediate  (of  the  middle 
of  the  three  spatial  re- 
gions) : K"NVD  N'~sSy  Pogn 
B. 

-iyd  bind:  Pogn  B.  Lidz  2,  N'pny2  P 
(so  Pogn,  and  cf.  Ass. 
masaru,  but  see  Nold. 
Maud.  Gram.  84,  n.  2). 


(nD)'T~iD  bitter:  2:  3,  4:  4,  epithet 
of  devils  and  charms. 
SOtOD  bitterness:  Pogn  B,  and 
plur.  SHN'INID. 

(jnD)xnD  lord:  of  deity  19:  5;  as 
human  title.  NiDIT  id  Schw 
E ; of  the  sorcerer  Lidz  4 ; 
construct  id  , Hyv,  gen. 
'ID,  18 : 1 ; 'nnD  his  lord, 
12:  6;  pi.,  pn'SiND  Pogn 
B,  pnmD  28:  5. 
xmp  ^ i--e  -s  h v I'mD,  our 
lady  19:  5;  lady  of  dead 
and  living  Wohls  2417, 
Pogn  B NfiNiKD. 
mo  rebel : Schw  F. 

PD  rebel : 1:9. 

xncp  oil : Schw  F. 

nhd  town : Ellis  3,  opposed  to  Nil 

nnD  stretch  out : Pogn  B,  Etpa. 

yp  plague:  16:  4,  yP'N  29:  9. 

■p  move,  etc. : Stiibe  62. 

Pa.  excommunicate,  expel : Pu. 
pPD  , Hal  = Schw  E, 
ntdd  Schw  M ; see  Lidz  s 
note  on  xtid  = SOID  ? in 
Lidz  2. 

'TJ  (?)  excommunication?: 

Ellis  3. 

SP'j  vow,  ban,  in  magic : 5 : 2,  7 : 

13,  32:  12,  Lidz  4 K'-nyj 
(see  p.  84). 

Nin'J  he  is  ( ?)  : Hal. 
m3  Af.  make  clear,  name  (?)'•  7 : 
9- 

sain:  light:  16:  6,  also  son: 
Pogn  B. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


295 


*113  tremble  : Pogn  B ; I’TJB  , Pael 
pass,  ppl.,  Halevy  (see  § 
3)- 

xm:  commotion : Pogn  B. 
ni:  rest:  Etpe.  rurvx,  2:  6. 
xnnj  rest : Pogn  B. 
xno^o  ?)  in  on  ■noin  ?,  Schw 
R. 

xno  rest:  16:  7,  Schw  E. 

NTO  fire:  8:  13,  14:  3;  charms  of 
fire  15  : 7,  34:  11  ; Gabriel 
prince  of  fire,  Hyv ; light, 
in  O 02  1 : 9. 

X^nu  pepper  : 28 : 3. 
ntJ  depart : nOTl,  5:1. 

(^O)  'Ijto,  xbttD  constellations: 

34:  6,  Ellis  3,  Schw  G. 
PP»  class  of  evil  spirits:  21: 

2 3:  2. 

pp'TtD  class  of  evil  spirits  : 7 : 
11,  14:  6,  pprao  23:  4 
(see  p.  75). 

NEJTO  bronze:  4 : 6,  6 : 11,  15:  7. 
nn:  come  down  : 8 : 7,  12:5;  Af.  2 : 
6,  27:  9 (of  angels, 
curses). 

10J  Pa.  guard:  7:  9,  35:  6;  Etpe. 
10:  3,  32:  11. 

XiOJ,  'xi  guardian : Wohls 
2417,  Pogn  B. 

xmoj,  'XDJ  guarding:  35:  1, 
38:  13,  Pogn  A. 
xmtao  ditto:  7:  13. 
xnintDJD  wardship  : 35  : 6. 
ni33  before : Schw  F. 

D33  Pa.  butcher : Pogn  B. 
x,,xn30  stranger : Pogn  B. 

£0:  bite:  Schw  L,  Q D3J. 


D3  Af.  afflict:  pD’Dn,  17:  6. 

XD3  Pa.  prove,  try:  nX’DJ  she  has 
proved,  Pogn  B. 

XH’DXJ  trial : Pogn  B. 

2D3  take  up : 4 : 6,  28 : 3,  Pogn  B ; 

impv.  f.  pi.  3’D  17:  9. 

JDO  Nisan : Wohls  2422  (see  p. 

55)- 

nsi  blow  with  the  breath : Schw  F, 
of  demons  blowing  on  the 
brain. 

JE3  fall  : impv.  1P1B  Wohls  2414, 
Pogn  B. 

xSso  'yi2  a disease:  29:  7. 
pS3  go  out : pis1  3:11;  impv.  pis  36 : 

2,  'pis  8:  10,  ips,  ps 

17:  6,  7;  Af.  xjp’Sino 
My  hr  = xip’SD  7:  12; 

inf.  xpsx1!  9:  8,  w.  suff. 
32:  8. 

ns3  Af.  put  to  flight : nnsix  Schw 
F(  ?),  see  § 3. 

xcs:  life,  person:  7:  13;  2:  I, 
Pogn,  on  of  one’s  own. 
xm  wrangle:  Pogn  B,  Lidz  ia. 
nm  be  victorious:  Hal,  of  a star; 
X0K>  DlKn  0,  Schw  I. 

XinifO  victorious:  Schw  I. 
(XpJ)  xnipJ  libation:  36:  7. 

(2p3)  rip3  Pa.  perforate : Pogn  B. 
3p3  distinct  renunciation : O 

trnpJ  lino  9:  6. 
xnapj  woman,  female : 30 : 4, 
n3(')p:  Ellis  1,  Schw  M; 
xns’pi  30:  3,  xropo  (most 
common  form,  sing,  and 
plur.)  6:  3,  8:  2,  37:  10; 
xnspo  8:8;  xnspo,  plur. 
xnxapu,  Lidz  4,  39:  6, 


296 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


XflXDpi  Pogn  A. 

xrop’D  curse  ? : Schw  I. 

Dpj,  Mand.  0:6  grasp:  4:  6,  7:  17, 
16:  8,  Pogn  B Pe.  and 
Etpe. 

X3BD  trap:  Wolils  2414. 

xnDB'D  spirit,  of  man:  Schw  G, 
xn d'C’d  39:  2. 

blow,  of  windblasts:  12:  8. 

nn:  Hif.  permit:  Hof.  pmo,  Schw 
G. 

2ND  Pa.  make  unclean : X3XDD  xtj?3 
Wohls  2422. 

J XD  pass.  ppl.  soiled,  foul : xnxJ’XD 
39:  10,  xd'XD  , m.  pi., 

Pogn  A.  xnxrD  Pogn  B 
(cf.  x:d). 

3D  turn  away:  8:  13. 

X2D  Af.  walk:  12:  6,  Pogn  B. 

DD  numerous:  po  pi.  Schw 

0. 

NTD  stocks,  for  the  feet : 39 : 4, 
Pogn  A xmxD. 

X'JXTD,  'XD bases,  of  the  world: 
Pogn  (p.  77). 

DID,  ODD  close  up:  XDDXDD1  XO'ID 
38:  IO,  XDTDD  40:  21. 

□HD  Sodom. 

XiiD  row  : 2 : 7,  27  : 1 1. 

XD'DiD  seducing  spirits:  35:  4 (see 
p.  80). 

xriDiD  mare:  Wohls  2414. 

rpD  in  'dt  XD’1 , Red  Sea:  34:  4. 

XQiD  end:  Schw  F,  poSy  plD^. 

□ did  seize:  Pogn  B,  Lidz  ia. 

fino  put  a cover  on : pass.  ppl.  XD'D 
38:  12;  Pa.  7:  17,  Pogn 
B. 


XtnD  magic  art:  xnriD  39:  4,  Pogn 
A,  B,  possibly  in  X1D3  XTD 
= 'fiD3  XTnD , Lidz  4. 

XDD  go  astray : 1 : 9. 

x^DD,  x^idd  Lat.  situla  ?:  Schw  F, 
bis. 

XJDD  a satan,  Satan : 2 : 3,  5 : 4, 
etc. ; x:xdd  19:  3,  40:  8; 
pFir.  35:  3. 

XDDD  writ : ,33H,n  'D  26 : 6. 

xiD'D  side:  6:  10. 

XD'D  sword  : 37  : 8. 

X3D,  X3L“*  look  at:  Pogn  A,  of  the 
demon’s  glance ; Schw  I. 

^3D  Af.  commit  offence:  4:  2,  5 
(inf.  Gddx  ) ; Etpa.  be- 
come wise  Stiibe  48. 

(pD) xniJ'DD’D  poverty:  34:  12, 

Lidz  4,  as  object  of  exor- 
cism ; 16:  10,  genius  of  p. 

~i3D  close  up:  13:  1,  Pa.  Lidz  4. 

XI  3D  astrological  term  = 
pole?  Montg. 

HDD  Selah,  magic  word,  5 : 7,  36 : 8, 
etc.;  n^xo  20:  5,  24:  6 
(see  p.  63). 

xrrb'D  cage-work:  19:  10. 

P^D  go  up : p^D  3d  pers.  32 : 8. 
rrpHD  1st  pers.  9.:  7. 
xnpxDD  ascent:  Pogn  B. 

XDD  (?)  poison:  Schw  F. 

HDD  descend  upon : Pogn  B. 

x^xdd  left  hand:  Pogn  A ; xSdD',  6: 
10. 

’pDD  a place  in  Babylonia  ( Yeb . 

121a,  'D  'd;x  ),  home  of  a 
demon : Wohls  2417. 

x;d  hate,  in  ppls.  only : act.  DD 
2:1  = 'x:d  27  : 6 ; pass. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


297 


5:  2,  39:  6,  Pogn  B (cf. 

fND). 

snmD  hatred : Lidz  4. 
spD  Pa.  gird  ? : Pogn  B. 
snyo  hair:  8:  3. 
snS’D  lip : Lidz  4. 

’"id  stench:  ’ID  nn,  16:  9. 

S3nD  species  of  demons:  7:11. 
snn'D  destruction:  16:  6. 

smno  loosening:  16:  6. 

“IHD  hide,  protect:  Nifal  25:  2. 
snnno  pi.  secret  arts?  Ellis  3. 

n3y  make:  12:  6;  of  a magical 
work  9 : 2,  32 : 3 ; Pa.  use 
as  a servant,  Pogn  B. 
snay  servant : 34 : 7. 
snuy  magical  practice : Schw 
F (for  this  and  following 
terms,  see  p.  51). 
snuy  ditto : 32  : 3. 
snmy  ditto:  9:1,  etc.,  Pogn  B, 
Lidz  4 totoiy  ; of  the 
Jewish  cult  29:  12. 
snnyo  ditto:  34:  13,  Ellis  3,  Schw 
F,  M,  Stiibe  10. 

nny  pass  over,  transgress : 32 : 8 ; 
1 : 9,  7:  3,  6:  11  niro. 
nay,  nry  across:  tto'  na'y  jo  8: 

9 = nayo  17:  10. 
sma'y  grain  : Hyv. 
snnaoso  passage : Pogn  B. 
s^y  in  yya,  soon:  Schw  M. 
ny  eternity,  with  obiy:  2:  15. 

STy  time:  pi.  S'Ty  26:  5. 
tony  ditto : 6 : 6,  Pogn  B. 
sny  go  away:  5:  1 ; Af.  7:  17. 


ny  unto:  4:4  = sony  19:  19; 
with  inf.  ‘b  Sony  34:  11; 
'n  ny  as  long  as,  Hal. 

Spny  lock  of  hair:  Pogn  B,  Lidz  2. 

nny  Pa.  help : Schw  I. 

sbiy  embryo:  39:  3,  Pogn  B. 

SDiy  bird:  7:  14. 

ply  be  in  distress : ppl.  pi.  snsps. 

Pogn  B ; Af.  press,  vrp'ys 
13:  3- 

ppy  so  Hyv  in  1.  4;  read  j’p’f. 
snptv*  distress : Lidz  4. 
my  Pa.  blind : pass.  ppl.  toiND 
Pogn  B,  peril,  in  smo  Lidz 
4- 

(Ty)STIS  strength:  6:  11. 

srry  strong:  fern.,  epithet  of 
Dilbat  28:  5,  of  deity  38: 
7,  of  spirits  and  witches 
Pogn  A,  B. 
soy  sheep  : 40  : 4,  14. 
sty  Etpa.  persist:  34:  10. 
srmy  in  'yn  noin , Schw  R. 
snpry  seal-ring : of  the  sorcerer : 

17:  12,  Ellis  1,  of  Solo- 
mon 34:  8,  of  God  8:  11, 
ring  of  fire  15:  7. 
noiy  ? 32:  10  = 33:  12. 

Nry  eye,  the  evil  eye : sny’n  'y  5 ■ 4> 
Lidz  4,  nyn  p'y  , Ellis  5 ; 
various  possessors  of  the 
evil  eye  30:  3 (see  p.  89). 
smay  temple : Pogn  B ; class  of 
evil  spirits,  38:  8,  40:  19, 
Pogn  B,  Lidz  4 (see  p. 
72). 

Sy  enter:  pbyo  29:  20  = pb’yj  30: 
10;  ppl.  pb’S  38:  14. 


298 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


b'by  w.  pby,  out  upon  thee : 
Pogn  B,  no.  28,  1.  1,  = 
Heb.  by  nb’bn  (so  better 
than  w.  Scbwally,  xn^b’, 
fr.  Ass.  clelu  lament.  Or. 
Lit-Zcit.  ii.  7 f. ). 

(xby)  by,  Mand.  bx  unto,  upon,  to 
(freq.  for  b,  cf.  pa'by  and 
pnb,  8:  3,  9,  and  in  gener- 
ally in  Mand.),  passim; 
vn  xbx,  by  Life!  40:  6, 
18,  cf.  40:  5;  w.  suff.,  2d 
fern.,  sing.  n'by  Schw  F, 
iby  36:  3 ( xna'by?  Scbw 
F);  3d  pers.  in'by  Scbw 
F,  vnby  Stiibe  32;  2d  plur. 
pa'xby  Pogn  B;  3d,  Tsbx, 
pmxbx  , Lidz  ia;  xoby 
(upon  him  ? Schw  G) 
until  Pogn  11,  why  Schw 
G ; alternating  with  nxby 
Pogn  B,  no..  28;  mxtaby, 
bow,  why : Pogn  B. 

b’yb  above:  19:  10. 
nb'y  against:  mb'y  , against 
him,  37:  8,  pmixby,  Pogn 
B. 

NW'Sy  superior,  epithet  of  ce- 
lestial gods : Pogn  B. 
n’by  height : ‘in  x'aaia  Hal. 
Dsy,  obiy  eternity,  in  formulas : 
nyi  obiy  ay  1:15,  a^yb 
3 : 5,  poby  ejiob  Scbw  F. 
xta^y  a kind  of  injury:  Schw  G 
(see  p.  93). 

oy,  D'y  with:  1:  13.  6:  3,  35:  6; 
h D'yi,  and  also  (?)  1:3. 
xoy  people:  mDOy  13:  1,  of 
tribes  of  angels. 


ntay  stand:  8:  14. 
xptaiy  depth : Pogn  B. 

NTioy  Gomorrha  : 2 : 6. 
xtrn'tr  '33y  a herb  used  in  magic : 
28:  3. 

NTlpjy,  'X  necklace  charm  or  spirit: 

7:  11,  29:  7,  Myhr  6; 

xnpjx,  16:  9,  masc.  plur. 
'Pax  , 12 : 9 (see  p.  88). 
xaay  dust:  xasxa,  Wohls  2417;  = 
Heb.  msy,  Montg. 
xap'y  magical  knots,  as  class  of 
demons:  34:  10  (see  p. 
88). 

apy  uproot:  pTpy,  Hal;  Pa.  8 : 15; 
Etpa.  9 : 6. 

xnnpy  barrenness,  spirit  of: 
11  : 3. 

(aapy)  X'apax ( 1 ) scorpions:  Pogn 
B,  no.  27  (Noldeke). 

(any)  xaayo  west:  Wohls  2422, 
Pogn  B. 

(any)  any  sweet:  Ellis  5. 

XDiay  a kind  of  disease:  Schw  G 
(see  p.  93). 

XDay,  'X  be  1 : 7:  17,  Lidz  5. 
xb’aay  darkness : Pogn  B ; plur. 
Montg. 

pay  flee  : pny>  3 : 7,  pn'i"  3 : 1 1 ; 

impv.  ipn'y  Ellis  1,  play 
Lidz  5 (cf.  nap). 

n cry  make:  9:  1,  Scbw  0,  Wohls 
2422  (of  magical  prac- 
tice). 

□try  oppress : ppl.  xotry  34 : 9,  of  a 
class  of  demons. 

a try  ten:  'y  an,  Ellis  3. 
xp’ny,  'n  old : Pogn  B. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


299 


NUTiy  a Mand.  genius : Pogn  B,  the 
3 Uthras. 

2 and:  'CDS  17:  11  (see  DID), 
PD'NB,  see  under  Pp'1  (see 
p.  105). 

D3B  Pa.  mutilate : 1 : 10. 

IDE  encounter : 2 : 2. 

NyJB  plague,  class  of  evil 

spirits:  7:  14,  15:  6 (see 

p.  92). 

NnyjB,  NrriDE  fem.  of  above : 
Wohls  2426,  16:  10. 

UB  Pa.  break  : 1 : 1 1. 

nub  body:  7:6,  19:  15,  38: 

9- 

UB  scatter : 8 : 2,  in  a magical 
phrase. 

NiNnB  potter:  Pogn  B. 

NUB  potter’s  vessel,  of  the 

bowl:  9:  1,  32:  3,  33:  1. 

1DB  banish,  divorce:  9:  9,  15:8, 
etc.;  Af.  Lidz  5 (see  to  8: 
7)- 

NmDB  exemption:  17:  12. 

NTiD'D  divorce-writ : 8 : 7,  etc. 

ibb  Pe.  and  Pa.  bind : Pogn  B. 

:6b  divide  inheritance : Pogn  B. 

n:6b  half : Pogn  B. 

bib,  ns  mouth:  13:  1,  Lidz  4;  "a  ^y 
•HiT  5:5;  NNN  ’23  20:  5. 

DDE  face:  DBD,  Schw  F. 

NDB  in  'S  H3iy;  Wohls  2414. 

DB  break  : 7 : 17. 

pDB  cut : 28  : 5 ; Etp.  Nprsy  Pogn  B. 

TpB  command:  36:  3;  Af.  Lidz  4; 
Etpe.  35  : 6. 


smps  command:  38:  6,  pnpNB 
(w.  suff.)  ib. 

NPptS  ward,  imprisonment : 
34:  6. 

ypB  burst  open:  NpBD  6:11. 

TB  Af.  break,  annul:  inf. IB’D  Stiibe 
1,  44,  pTBD  Ellis  3. 

TiB  scatter,  bewilder  : 7 : 16. 

N^PB  iron  : 2 : 1,  15  : 7,  38 : 5,  Schw 

I. 

ms  flee : Schw  N,  LIyv  14,  Stiibe 
49;  also  prob.  in  pma  ms 
1 : 10. 

DIB  determine,  of  a decree : Lidz  4. 

N3PB  shrine-spirit:  38:  8,  40:  19 
(see  p.  72). 

DIB  scatter:  28:  3,  4. 

NBiViB  person : Pogn  A,  of  demons. 

P"i 2 separate:  PpTB,  17;  13,  1st  per. 
plur  ? 

NDpiB  deliverance:  4:  5. 

KHB  Af.-Hof.  ppl.  of  the  pronounc- 
ed Name:  KH’iBDn  nDCy, 
Hal ; D’TiBD  Dty  1 1 : 9 = 
ND’TBD  NDtty , Lidz  5 ; of 
angels  pJDinDI  pKPBD  Stube 
59;  Af.  in  Schwab  I, 
warn  ? 

ms  Euphrates : Schw  G. 

DL"’B  Pa.  stretch : 2 : 5 = 27 : 7. 

IC’B  break,  annul  (charms,  etc)  : 

pnPK>BDl  pm’D’B  Pogn  B, 
of  the  magic  divorce  1 1 : 
7- 

NIK’S,  NniNE’B  annulment : Pogn 

B. 

NDNJrrD  v.  ord:  37:  7. 

NnrVB  doorway  : 6 : 6. 


300 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


’inriD  image-spirits:  5:  2,  ,lD,ns,  2: 

7,  38:  8,  Pogn  B,  Lidz  4, 
•npna  Schw  O,  I'O’ns  fern, 
pi.  Ellis  3 (see  p.  72). 

xnronQ  idolatry  : 37  : 6. 

(NNY)NrVY  tilth:  'Y  ’CD  18:  6. 
y3V  dip:  Schw  F (?). 

NyBY'N  finger : Schw  F. 
pTV  mutter:  rptYD,  jsyd  Schw  F. 

HY  bind,  with  a spell : 6 : 6,  7 : 2, 
29:  5- 

11Y  draw,  depict:  n:  9 = Ellis  1. 

xnitY  figure,  on  a seal:  15:  7. 
ni v obey:  'niv  f.  impv.  8:  10. 
jnv  stink  : Pogn  A. 

NY'Y  ray  of  light : 7 : 5 plur. 

XVY’Y  glory:  12:  7. 

'I A’  scourge:  1:  10,  Lidz  4. 

NJtD'Y  north : Wohls  2422. 

1DY  morning:  26:  5. 
xiy  cleave:  X'iny  cloven  (hoofs), 
Pogn  B ; Etpe.  6 : 1 1 . 

NDltY  side : Schw  G. 

Xp  emphatic  part,  in  xpDX,  7:  14, 
17:  12. 

XDp  collect : 37  : 4. 

^3p  receive:  6:  11,  37:  7,  Pogn  B; 

impv.  tS'Dp  Ellis  1,  b'DX'P 
Lidz  5. 

xSd’P  counter-charm : 6 : 2,  32  : 
8 (see  p.  86). 

rr^ntpb  against  him : Schw  E. 
xiDp,  xiDtp  tomb:  Wohls  2422, 
Pogn  B. 

soup  ditto:  Pogn  B,  no.  5. 


N"ip  in  Lidz  5,  but  see  nip. 

Dip,  DXip,  Dllp  before,  in  sing,  and 
plur.:  QipjD,  IVDXIp,  'HIDip 
3:  7,  9;  Syr.  nmp  34:  7. 
jirvDip,  36:  5,  nioip  37: 
8;  Dllp  25:  2,  DXItp 
Pogn  B. 

op,  'Dp  ditto  : 'ttpS  Ellis  1,  n Dp  |D 
from  him,  13:  2. 

iiXDip  pristine:  33:  n ; Adam  Kad- 
mon  10:  3;  of  Hand.  Life 
and  Nebat,  Pogn  B. 
X'Spllp  (?)  tresses:  Pogn  B. 

D;1Tip  holiness : Schw  M. 

Clip  holy,  the  Holy  One: 
Schw  I,  7 : 15. 

XC'lp  ditto,  particularly  epithet 
of  demons:  4:1,  Pogn  A. 

Dtp  arise,  stand:  ppl.  act.  2:  7, 
D'p  13:  8;  prro'p  Pell 

form,  Wohls  2417  (ot 
the  resurrection ) ; Pa.  29 : 
10;  Etpa.  16:  4,  8:  17, 
etc.;  Af.  pGc’pxn,  Pogn 
B. 

NQlp  stature,  person : p'NDlp 
Pogn  B. 

xnoip  ditto : 2:  1,  19:  3,  Pogn 
B. 

Dtpo  place : Schw  M. 

XDtp'O  ditto:  Hal  (of  cattle). 
StDp,  kill,  of  demons : 3:2,  4,  36 : 

4,  etc;  xpcx:  Lidz  5 (cf. 

Glossary  A). 

iDp  bind,  of  magic : Schw  I. 

xiD'p  spell:  7:  13.  28:  5,  Hyv. 
Xi'P  pk  wax  figures:  39:  7. 

{bp)  s^p  curse:  5:  3. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


301 


X^p,  xbxp  voice:  7,  11,  of  the  client 
13:  9,  of  the  witches  Lidz 
la;  x^pJ33  the  magical  in- 
vocation, 16:  10  (see  p. 
84). 

XJP»P  amulet:  2:  1,  10:  17,  29:  5, 
Ellis  5 (see  p.  44). 

XtDip  vault  of  heaven?:  Pogn  B 
(zodiac?,  see  Payne- 
Smith,  col.  3650). 

XJ3Dp  = XOEp  ? contortion:  34:  10. 

xr:p,  'p  possessions:  2:  5,  34:  3 
(the  Mandaic  use  for 
“cattle”  not  assured,  in 
34:  8 'p  may  mean  small 
cattle). 

’OJp  person ( ?)  : 't33p  'TM  Schw  I. 

(ip)KTnp  cold:  Pogn  B. 

X3p  call,  name:  16:  5,  36:  4,  np’b 
demons  read  the  inscrip- 
tion, Ellis  5 (see  § 3)  ; 
Etpe.  3 : 2,  Pogn  B xnpD. 

amp  magical  invocation : 7 : 
11,  16:  10,  Pogn  B,  Lidz 
4 xmpx  (see  p.  84). 

xnnp  ditto  : 35  : 4. 

iOXnp  ditto : Pogn  B. 

X3p  chance  upon:  18:  10,  Ellis  3. 

'Ip  mishap,  pollution : Schw 
G,  1.  8 (so  possibly,  see  p. 
92). 

33p  approach:  6:  10,  etc. 

33p,  3'3p  near,  neighbor:  Ellis 
3,  Hal,  fem.  xn3’3p,  Schw 
G. 

X3X3p  battle:  Lidz  1a. 

mp,  xip  flee:  18:  9 = X3p  Lidz  5 
(metathesis  of  p3y). 


pp  horn : Pogn  B,  Lidz  2 ; of  a 
magical  figure  12:  5. 
xpnp  link  of  a chain : Montg. 
xnspip  head:  2:  1. 

(E’p)E”E’p  old:  19:  9. 

’Kp  hard,  painful:  pi.  "Bp  7:  11, 
Wohls  2422. 

XL3KP  bow  : 2 : 4. 

XE’xn,  xc”3,  XL'” xi  head:  19:  19, 
Pogn  B,  4:  5. 

rrc?X3  beginning : Lidz  5 ; creation 
11:9,  18 : 12. 

33  great : 4 : 4,  etc. ; fem.  “Tan  ,4:5 
'3XJW,  38:  10,  Wohls 
2417  '3  'tDX  grandmother, 
XTIX33  Pogn  B;33,'33  title 
8 : 8,  etc. ; plur.  J'33  Schw 

1,  xnx3313  Pogn  B,  '3333 
masters  16:  8,  so  X'3313 

39:  7- 

XH33  usury  : Lidz  2. 

XM33  (?)  master:  Hal. 

(j?33)  p3X  four:  4:  1,  X’33X  Pogn 
B ; p3,nj?33X  the  four  of 
you,  8:13. 

py33X  forty : Schw  E. 
xn,y,33  fourth,  fem. : 6 : 8. 
XfJ13  wrath:  16:  3,  37:  8,  39:  7, 
Wohl  2422. 
x^Jn  foot:  19:  19. 

X3J,!?  ditto:  38:  12. 
xSvj  ditto : Schw  I. 

X3J’J  ditto:  12:  8. 

^J3  hobbled:  38:  10,  40:  21, 
Lidz  4. 

XE33  stone ( ?)  : Pogn  B,  D’J3  Lidz 

2. 


302 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


pn  shake  ( ?)  : Lidz  4. 
ini?  34:  5. 

nrt,  xnn  spirit,  of  man:  xnn  xn:n 
xnotpmi  Pogn  B,  plur. 
X’nn  Lidz  1 a,  Pogn  A; 
gen.  of  evil  spirits,  8:  16, 
etc.,  plur.  ninn  Schw  F, 
vm  16:  8,  etc.,  as  masc. 
30:  3,  cf.  Ellis  5 nyn  nm 
rmp:i  nnt;  XJvb'b  n 30:  3, 
'bxj  no  'n  16:  9 (see  p. 
74)- 

xrrn  perfume : Pogn  B. 

(on)  nn,  DXn  high:  14:  4,  Pogn 
B. 

xnon,  xrunxn  height:  plur  9:  6. 

34:  5- 

XDDn  ditto:  Schw  G. 
x»ino  ditto:  32:  8,  XDixnoPogn 
B. 

xn,  xrxn  mystery,  of  magical 
rites  : 6 : 1 1,  7 : 13,  28 : 3. 
37:  4,  etc.  (and  see  p. 

85). 

nxnnn  name  of  a place  or  sanctu- 
ary: 19:  10. 

Dnn  Pa.  have  compassion:  13:  4; 
□minim  ( ?)  Schw  L;  ppl. 
nnn  loving  Schw  I. 

"cnn  love  of  God:  3:  1,  11:  2, 
Schw  E. 

xnom  love : h rn  love  rites, 
28:  3. 

Dinn  name  of  a place  or  sanctuary: 
19:  11. 

pm  be  far : ppls.  xpnn  Schw  G.  p'nn 
Hal ; Pa.  14:2  Lidz  4 ; 
Etpe.  8:  17,  Lidz  4 

pxnxnny. 


xyn  crop  ?:  Hyv. 
nmn  chariot:  8:  13. 

xmmn  ditto:  14:  2,  25:  2, 

Pogn  B. 

Xtnn  cast  down:  9:  1,  pn  act.  ppl. 

6:  4,  'tnn  pass.  7:  17; 

Etpe.  Jicnn  14:  7. 

XTD’n  (the  divine)  beck:  19:  8. 

xtxon  one  endowed  with  the 
evil  eye  ? : Pogn  B. 

DDn  trample : 1 : 10. 

NDD'n  reptiles:  7:  14. 
pon  prick,  bruise:  18:  6. 
xn’tnn  evening:  26:  5. 

Dinnnin  name  of  a place  or  sanctu- 
ary: 19:  12. 
yn  evil : Ellis  5. 
xrnyn  will,  pleasure:  12:  6. 
nnn  encamp:  2:  7 (but  cf.  27:  11). 

xnnntn  camp:  2:  7,  27:  11. 
ysn  lift,  remove  (Noldeke  eft. 

Arab.)  : pynn'n,  Hyv  (who 
supposes  xnn). 

Xp'n  xpn  “le  crachet  a ete  crache”  ? : 
Pogn  B. 

xnpn  dance,  of  angels:  12:  8. 
xy'pn  firmament:  8:  9,  Stube  61; 

Hand,  xrrpn,  X'ypn,  pi.  the 
seven  X'nypn,  Pogn  B. 
xnm-n  authority:  Stube  61;  nm*n  in 
center  of  bowl  No.  20. 
□urn  signing,  of  a name:  H, 

Schw  I. 

tr  Heb.  relative:  xv'trcr,  mxtr , Schw 
M ; magical  element,  see 
p.  60. 

7xy  ask:  rrb'xcr  4:  6. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


303 


jnNy  hell : blKB'  yay  seventh  hell  ? 6 : 
12. 

ay  burn:  aany:  28:  1. 
sa'y  class  of  amulet-spirits:  15:  6 
(see  p.  88). 

(rut?)  Niaarin  praise:  29:  12. 

NDay,  NJUiy  plague,  plur.  class  of 
demons:  12:  4,  10,  15:  6, 
35:  3.  Hyv  (see  p.  92). 
N^ay  road:  5:  4. 
yay  Af.  adjure,  in  exorcism:  rpyayx 
113’by  1 : 8,  3 : 3 ; Mand. 
rratyx,  I adjure,  40:  5, 

Pogn  B (assigned  wrong- 
ly by  him  to  Nay), 
yay,  Nya’y,  nyay,  nyay  seven: 
6:  7,  19:  4,  4:  4,  etc.; 
Mand.  traxy,  yaiy,  Pogn 
B. 

pyay  seventy:  7:  17  of  angels, 
Hyv  of  spells. 

xnyiay  oath  : Schw  I. 

ND'y'ay  seventh,  fern.:  6:  8. 
pay  dismiss,  divorce:  np’ay  17:  2, 
32:  9,  40:  22  nb'p’ay  I 
have  divorced  her ; Pa. 
Pogn  B. 

pia'y  divorcement:  8:  13,  plur. 

9 : 5- 

aay  Pa.  break : Schw  G. 

Niaiy  “nid”  ? : Schw  F. 
nay  cease:  pn*ay  Schw  E,  jrn'n'ay 
Wohls  2426. 

Nnmay  residence?:  Schw  I. 
ajy  Etpe.  dissolve  like  water:  2: 

1 1 ; burn,  28  : 1. 
yjy  Pa.  disturb:  1 : 11. 

Nyjy,  xyny  commotion : Pogn 
B. 


yuy  disturbing  : 24  : 4. 
xa'y  plur.  demons:  2:  7,  7:  14, 
Pogn  B,  etc.;  fOTy? 
(read  J'taaiy?)  Schw  G, 
etc.  (see  p.  73). 

xn'JT'y  she-demon  : 7 : 14. 

Nay  throw  down : Pogn  B,  so  ny  in 
Stiibe  50? 

any  Pa.  send:  36:  3,  Pogn  B (also 
Peil  forms). 

snaay  a form  of  magic  (see  p. 

86). 

toaayo  sender:  Pogn  B. 

Niy  be  equal:  in  ppl.  'a  myx,  like; 

Pa.  set:  37:  11,  Pogn  B. 
nsmy  lust:  28:  4. 

(my)  ta'y  eye-tumor:  34:  10. 
qiy  crawl,  of  witches : Pogn  B ; 
rub(?)  ib. 

aiy  leap  forth:  ppl.  a’y  19:  14. 

Naxiy  leaper,  ephialtes : Pogn 
A (see  p.  82). 

Naty  wall : 4 : 6,  34 : 4. 
yiy  Pa.  overthrow : inf.  N’yiNy, 
Pogn  B. 

Namy  bribe : Pogn  B,  Lidz  4. 
niny  worship:  8:  14. 
jny  burn,  with  love:  in'nyj  28:  1. 
NHDiny  consumption  : Schw  G (see 
P-  93)- 

D'pny  the  ether:  29:  11. 

Nnany  slumber:  7:  16,  8:  11. 

Namy  black,  of  a kind  of  demons: 

Schw  G (see  p.  80). 
aany  emancipate:  demons  who  are 
not  paanyb  Schw  I ; aamyo 
Schw  R. 

Na'y  song,  charm  : 32  : 9,  33  : 4. 


304 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


DDC?  lie:  sexually  of  demons,  i:  13, 
11:8;  Af.  set  down  34 : 5, 
lay  a ghost  16 : 1 1 ; lay  a 

spell  34:  5- 

xnxx  (n'D)  bedchamber : 7:  7. 
8:  5,  19:  3. 
nx'  find : Etpe.  8 : 7. 
tODX*’?  haunter,  species  of  demon, 
so  Ndldeke  to  Hyv,  ZKF 
ii  296,  perhaps  better  read 
panic:’. 

xnrx"  Shekina:  14:  3,  xnxxc’ 
N’rai  Pogn  B. 

NJ’DC’D  abode,  of  demons  : Ellis 
3 ( Halevy,  nc’O). 
xmiX’D  dwelling:  34:  2. 
xn'Src’  foetus:  Pogn  B,  Lidz  ib 
(Noldeke,  exortion). 
NriDinx’  flame:  14:  7. 
nSc  send,  send  away:  8:  3,  Hofal 
8:  13;  Maud,  ^ncr,  Etpe. 
xSncy,  pSnncyi , Af.  r6c’X 

inf.  X'Sc’:  Pogn  B. 

XJxSc’D  sender : Pogn  B. 
aSc*  rule  : pafi’r’n  6 : 10,  Peil  pn'C’Sc.*’ 
Stube  51. 

ftnhC’  ruler:  11  : 5,  19:  12,  17, 
Lidz  4. 

"PC’  send  forth  : Schw  F. 

D?E’  Af.  deliver : Lidz  4. 

Xd6c’  peace:  13:  12.  37:  10, 
Y^X  ‘l"  Wohls  2417. 
xnxC’X  ;C’  initiatory  rites,  in 
magic  : 12  : 9,  16 : 10.  35  : 
4,  Hal,  Schw  E,  M,  Stubs 
2;  xnxC’  Pogn  B (see  p. 
85). 

Nirox’  ghost,  or  demon:  8:  2.  8.  12, 
17:  4. 


Die:’,  XX’  name,  passim : plur.  niXC’ 
9:  6,  pnxK’  14:  6,  jncK’ 
Ellis  3,  xnrraic’  xmoc’xnxx’ 
Schw  G.  xnnaic’  16:  8; 
Mand.  XD1K>  38 : 7,  plur. 
p’XDX’  40 : 1 ; DIDO,  in  the 
name  of  (deity,  angel, 
sorcerer,  or  the  charm- 
words  following,  e.  g.  6 : 
7),  passim;  n.  b.rrx’Y  28 : 
1,  loro  95;  DiC’Sm  of 
whatever  name  1 : 13. 

XX’  lay  waste?:  nanc’-1  Schw  I. 
X'X’  heaven  : 9:6,  11:2  (=  God), 
etc.;  ’ODD’  Schw  I,  X’XX’ 
Schw  0,  X'niC’  Pogn  B. 
yx*  hear:  8:  10,  pcYy  y'X’  8 : 3: 

Mand.  rvoiC’  I heard  Lidz 
1 a = 'XXC’  Pogn  B,  'XD1C’ 
impv.  ib.,  Etpe.  panc’,n, 
ib..  Pa.  inf.  pD’yiXcY  8:  7. 
IX’’  guard,  keep  : 5 : 3. 
tl’X’  Pa.  serve : Stube  60. 

XD’X’sun:  28:  3.C’,DXC’30 : 2 
(cf.  Glossary  A), 
nx’  Pa.  ban : Hal,  Lidz  4,  xnnX’D 
epithet  of  lilith  34:  13, 
35:  11,  Etpa.  Wohls  2426. 

xnx’  ban : 8 : 6 ; plur.  jxnx> 
Schw  I.  xnnx’  Stiibe  12. 
XX*’  Pa.  change  one's  place : 36 : 2 ; 

bewilder,  make  mad : 7 : 
16. 

xnc  year:  6:  5,  plur.  X’  6:  6 
(see  also  xnc’n  ). 

(xyc)xnyc’  hour:  4:  5 ’ran  'C,  26: 
5- 

xniyc’  mocking  mischief  of  de- 
mons: Schw  G,  cf.  juryc’, 
Ellis  3 (see  § 3). 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


305 


"IW  satyr,  species  of  demons : 

Dnw  5:  4 (see  p.  80). 
Nmyty  a fever ( ?)  : 11:3. 
pBS’t?  Hyv,  read  PDQ1K>. 
xbs'K'  abasement  (?)  : Schw  F. 
'TS’K'  excommunication  Stiibe  12 
(see  p.  53). 

’W  destroy:  inf.  7:  17;  come 
forth  : N'W  Schw  M. 

Np’D’  pi.  the  Arabic  sik f-demon : 15: 
5- 

Npt^to  water:  Pogn  B,  Etpe.  37:  9. 
ypC’  deposit,  of  the  bowl-practice : 

KJ’PJ?  32:  3-  33  I- 
bpV’  take  off:  11:  8,  Lidz  5. 

HP^  strike . 11:6,  Lidz  5. 

Knaip’K’  blow,  affliction,  a 
method  or  result  of  magi- 
cal practice:  12:  9,  Ellis 
5,  Stiibe  2,  Wohls  2426, 
2414  snia’pcj'  Lidz  4 (see 

p.  86). 

Nnsipnc^s  ditto:  16:  10. 

NVp’t?  vermin  : 7 : 14. 

Pa.  bind,  magically : ■HE"  Schw 
G,  inf.,  nnt?  Schw  F,  ppl. 
3i  5>  37:  4- 

TT  firm,  of  charms:  3:  1,  13: 
8,  Lidz  5. 

NmiKy  authority:  Schw  I. 
nmtJ’  spell : Schw  G,  with  Dlb. 
Nnunca  ? Schw  I,  end. 

NIB*  prince : Schw  I. 
tot?  loose,  dwell:  12:  2,  34:  11, 
pilD'  impv.  pi.  Lidz  ib, 
with  suff.  Lidz  2,  ditto 
fern.  'Nicy  Pogn  B,  e.  g. 
no.  15;  Af.  to  lodge,  14: 


3;  Etpe.  be  loosened,  19: 

4,  Hyv,  Pogn  B 

NIK'  diarrhoea  : 34  : 10. 

NranK'  tribe,  of  demoniac  species : 

7 : 17,  38 : 6,  40 : 17  the 
360  species  (cf.  p.  80). 
Pa.  uproot : K’Bnt?  fern.  pi. 
impv.  ? (but  see  Lidz,  p. 
93,  n.  9,  = root  N"iD’). 
NnN^D’iD’  chains:  39:  5. 

Kibcw  enchainment:  34:  11. 
drink:  inf.  irnD”C  Schw  F, 
impv.  36  : 7. 

(nK>)  r\m?  six:  11:9. 

pn'C,  pC’D’  60,  in  enumeration 
of  demons,  etc.:  19:  8,  38: 

5,  Lidz  4,  Hyv. 

-Gn  break:  40:  12;  Etpe.  40:  12, 
Lidz  la;  Pa.  "UNn,  Lidz 
2. 

nitrn  (Noah’s)  ark:  10:  5. 

}ONn  crown:  NVH  tONn  Pogn  B. 
NDOn  military  division : plur.  n'tDDin 
13:  1,  of  demons. 

NDinn,  NtDin  abyss,  always  in  plur : 

Schw  F,  G,  Pogn  B N'Bin 
N"Tinn  (Pogn  as  though 
= sonin,  black). 

Din,  Din  again  : 2 : 1,  Ellis  1 ; Din  39  : 
11,  Lidz  5. 

pin  in  linn,  out  of : 9:  5. 
torn  bull  40:  4. 

nnn,  nmn,  etc.  under  n’nnn  Schw  F, 
n'nn  under  the  hand  7:  12 
= ninn  16:  6;  Mand.  K'nin 
38:  12,  ixn’n  Pogn  B. 


306 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION 


’Nnnn  inferior:  Pogn  B,  see  to 

NOinn. 

(in)N3in  loss,  damage:  34:  7 (see 
p.  94). 

Nnnun  abortion : 11:4. 

Sn  hang(  ?)  : n^bn'N  Schw  F. 
nbn  three : ns^n  Pogn  B,  Nnn^n  300 
38:  5;  prmbn,  pinn^n  17: 
4-  8:  3. 

xn-Ti^n  third,  fern.:  6:  8. 

}»n  there : 14 : 7,  19 : 14. 

Din  see  Din. 

Noon  eight:  8 spirits,  seals,  19:  4, 
Schw  E,  F,  Pogn  B. 


oon  80:  19:  9,  w.  suff.  fNiNon 
Lidz  4. 

Nion  monster,  of  Leviathan:  2:  4, 

6. 

pn  Pa.  make  fast:  19:  10,  29:  11. 

Tpn  mighty,  epithet  of  magical 
arts:  Hal,  Hyv;  of  deities, 
etc.,  34:  9,  40:  19;  of  the 
sorcerer  34:  2. 

pn  two:  4:  4,  Pogn  B;  pnnnn 
two  of  them , 34 : 4. 

NHJO’n  second:  fern.:  6:  8. 

Tin  Pa.  divorce:  17:  3. 

sown  divorcement : 26 : 6. 

(Nynn)  nth  gate:  Pogn  B. 


PRONOMINAL  FORMS 


1st  per.  NON:  2:  1,  5,  4:  6,  etc.;  son: 

1 1 : 1,  Pogn  B ; on  : 14  : 1. 

1st  pers.  pi.  Nimx  : 1 : 14. 

2d  per.  f.  "niN:  26:  3,  8:  8,  15  (or 
plur.  ? q.  v.),  hnon  38:  4. 

2d  pers.  pi.  m.  and  fern.  pniN  : 19: 
13  ; iniN  : Schw  F ; pnN:4:7; 
pniN:  8:  8;  'niN:  8:  8,  17: 
3(?)- 

3d  pers.  (also  demonstrative)  : Nin 
8 : 7,  etc.,  32  : 4 ; in  : 39  : 8 ; as 
copula  Nin  Nin;  9:  1,  32:  3; 
Ninn  Schw  F;  no  : Ellis  3. 

3d  pers.  pi.  pm : Pogn  B;  p n 1 n : 32: 
7-  33:  7;  P^,  P^:  13:  4-  35: 
6 ; prn  : Schw  I,  Pogn  B ; ;n 
Schw  O. 

Demonstrative,  masc.  pn : 8 : 16, 

10:  1,  Ellis  5,  Hal;  pn  : 3:  5, 


7:16,  Stiibe  43  ( these  forms  in 
stereotyped  phrases,  cf.  N:n(n) 
16:  8)  ; pnn  : 3 : 6.  pNin  28: 
4,  pTNn : Pogn  A;  Nin  (Syr.) 
31:  1,  2;  N2Nn : Schw  F; 

Nn  ( ?)  : 18:  5. 

Demonstrative  fern.  Nnn  : 1 : 4,  35  : 
6,  NiNn  Lidz  5. 

Demonstrative  pi.  pbn  : 6:7,  10:  3, 

31 : 5-  35-  9-  36:  5’  Po£n  Bi 
pb'N:  Hal  2;  nb'N,  'b'N,  n^N: 

25  : 2>  5- 

Indefinite  (n)|»:  2:  2,  JNO  27:  5> 
Pogn  B ; NO,  in  NOD,  NOD,  NOny, 
mNo6y(see  these  prepositions). 
WN  those  who(  ?)  : Wohls  2414. 
cynro:  5:  2,  Dyn'0,2:  3,  12: 
10,  29:  8,  ano  Ellis  5. 


GENERAL  INDEX 


GENERAL  INDEX 


Abraxas  57,  99,  151 
Abatur  71,  96,  261 
Adam  166 
Aeon  198 

amulets  as  objects  of  exorcism  87 

angel  of  death  79 

angels 

= charm  words  86 
evil  79 

= gods  79,  97,  99,  241 
invocation  of  57  f. 
mystical  names  of  97,  197,  208 
Arabisms  24,  85,  102,  105 
Arabic  magic  and  demonology  44. 
80,  187 

archangels,  Michael,  etc.  96. 

ardat  lili  76 

armament,  magical  137 

Armasa  99,  123 

ascent  of  the  soul  227  f. 

assonance,  magical  61,  185  f. 

Asshur  21 

Athbash  60,  184 

attestation  to  magical  texts  48 

Babelon,  E.  18 

Babylonian  magic  42  f.,  47,  55  f., 
58,  59,  62,  64,  69,  73,  82,  85. 
87,  91,  109  f.,  152,  187 
Bagdana  171,  198 


barbarous  words  59 
baskania  68,  78 
Bel  239 

beasts  exorcised  44  f. 

Berlin  Museum  19  f.,  21 
bctli-el  72 

Bibliotheque  Nationale  18,  19,  21 
binding  in  magic  52,  85 
black  arts  84 
blanket  formulas  82,  120 
blast  spirits  80 
Borsippa,  21 
bowls  and  bowl  magic 
age  of  14,  102  f.,  1 16 
Arabic  14,  21,  44 
description  of  13  f. 
forged  14 

origin  50,  57  f.,  68,  100,  106  f., 
1 16 

praxis,  40  f.,  51,  53,  162 
Mandaic  15,  20,  21,  30,  37  f. 
244  f. 

as  objects  of  exorcism  88 
paleography  of  27  f. 
provenance  of  14,  16,  43 
Syriac  15,  16,  21,  32  f.,  223  f. 
''brass  in  magic  137,  187 
British  Museum  13,  16,  17,  18,  21 
(309) 


310 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


Casanowicz,  I.  M.  21 
cattle  in  magic  49  f.,  234,  242,  246. 
253  f- 

Charles,  B.  B.  44 
charms,  etc  86  f. 
children  in  magic,  s.  women 
Christian  magic  and  demonology 
67,  90  f.,  99,  107,  1 15  (s.  New 
Testament ) 

Christian  names  50 
Chwolson,  M.  17,  18,  27 
circle  in  magic  42,  88,  152,  250 
Constantinople  Museum  13,  15,  21 
constellations,  zodiacal  135  f. 
countermagic  53,  83,  137 
cult  us  51 

curses,  magical  84 

dastabira  (Persian)  228,  52 
date  of  bowls,  s.  bowls 
David  184 

Day  of  Judgment  135,  235 
demonology  in  New  Testament  78, 
91  f. 

demons  and  demonology 
= shed  in  73 
= depotentized  gods  70 
divorce  of  158  f. 

= ghosts  75 
good  76,  1 51 
haunts  of,  s.  haunts 
= idols  72 

insanity  caused  by  153 
king  of  74 
legions  of  80 
metamorphosis  of  153 


murderous  238  f.,  240,  261 
names  of  68,  77,  81,  158,  171, 
262 

number  of  71 
threatening  of  131 
devils  ( dewin ) 73  f. 

Dilbat  217 
diseases 

as  objects  of  exorcism  89  f.,  171, 
189,  205,  219,  234,  235 
female  94 
s.  eye,  fevers,  skin 
divorce,  magical  158  f.,  172 
dreams  82,  206 

duplicate  texts  42,  145  f.,  167  f., 
20  3 f. 

eclectic  magic  58,  64,  106  f.,  1 1 5 
Egyptian  magic  53  f..  55,  58,  59, 
62,  64,  91,  1 14 
c burnt  72 
El-shaddai  191 
Elija  259  f. 

Ellis,  T.  16,  18,  23  f. 

Ellis,  W.  T.  21 
empusa  78 
enmity  exorcised  87 
Enoch  124,  134 
epesu  51 
cphialtes  80,  82 
epic  in  magic  62,  65 
evil  eye  88,  89,  222,  257 
evil  angels  79 
evil  spirits  74 

excommunication  in  magic  53 
exorcism  51  f.,  55.  68  f.,  83  f.,  89  f. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


311 


(s.  amulets,  bowls,  diseases, 
enmity,  poverty,  sin) 
exorcists  46  f.,  233 
eye  diseases  93 

facere  51 

familiar  (spirit)  142 

fevers  93,  171,  205 

figures,  use  of  in  magic  53  f. 

fire  in  hell  131 

fire  in  magic  122,  187,  235 

formulas,  61,  85,  185  f.,  199 

Fraenkel,  S.  20 

Gabriel  96  f.,  234 
gallu  262 

garment,  magical  123 
gcllo  68,  78,  262 
gematria  61,  261 

ghosts  43,  72,  75,  82  f.,  157,  201, 
207,  251 
ghul  81,  157 
Gnostic  terms  151 
God,  gods  56  f. 

gods  depotentized  70 
Gottheil,  R.  20,  258 
graveyard  magic  43  f. 

Greek  magic  43  f.,  53,  55  f.,  58,  59, 
61,  62,  64,  69,  82,  85,  87,  91, 
107,  hi,  113,  197,  214 
Greek  names  50 
Griinbaum,  M.  19 
Gula  (goddess)  129 
gylo  262 

hair  in  magic  153 
Halleluia  63,  202 


Harran  101,  123,  239 
Halevy,  J.  17,  18 
haunts  of  demons  76  f. 
in  deserts  78 
in  house  76,  143 
in  shrines  71 
heart  in  magic  216 
Hecate  58  f. 
hell,  131,  144 
herbs,  magical  182,  216 
Hermes  99,  113,  123  f.,  150,  208 
Hermon  126 
Hillah  16,  17,  21 
Hilprecht,  H.  V.  41 
house  magic  42  f.,  49  f.,  177 
hydromancy  40  f. 

Hyvernat,  H.  19,  21,  41 

idols  as  demons  72 
incantations  51,  52,  56,  139 
incubi  and  succubae  78,  82 
insanity  caused  by  devils  153 
invocation 

of  gods,  angels,  etc.  57,  95  f., 
197 

in  black  magic  84 
iron  in  magic  53,  122 
Ishtar  70,  245 
istarati  71 

Jackson,  A.  V.  W.  22 
Jesus  Christ  227 

Jewish  magic  50,  106  f.,  108,  112, 
149 

jinn  80,  105,  157 

Joshua  (Jesus)  b.  Perahia  226  f., 
46,  159,  161,  225 


312 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


kabbalism  65,  1 14 
Khuabir  20 
king  of  demons  74 
King,  L.  W.  21 
kirn  250 

knots,  magical  88 

labartu  68 
lamia  78,  81 
Layard,  W.  16 
lead  in  magic  187,  249 
legions  of  demons  80,  179,  244 
letters,  magical,  59,  163 
Leviathan  125 
Levy,  M.  A.  17,  27 
Lidzbarski,  M.  20 
lilith  68,  75  f.,  no,  1 17  f.,  156  f., 
158,  209  f„  235,  245,  259  f.  (s. 
witch) 

Logos  123  f. 

losses  exorcised  94 

love  charms  178  f. 

love  of  God  in  magic  129 

love  magic  44,  178  f.,  213  f.,  238 

Louvre  18,  19,  20,  21 

Lycklama  museum  19,  21 

magic 

assonance  and  rhyme  in  61, 
185  f. 

clients  of  49  f. 
epic  in  62 
figures  in  53  f. 
fire  in  122,  187,  235 
Great  Name  in  131 
invocation  as  form  of  84 


rites  of  52,  85,  216 
personality  in  48,  66,  112 
praxis  of  51  f. 
propitious  days  for  55  f. 
reciprocal  47 
and  religion  57,  65,  in 
Scripture  quotations  in  62  f. 
sealing  in  53,  130,  191 
s.  Arabic,  Babylonian,  Christian, 
Egyptian.  Greek,  Jewish,  New 
Testament,  Persian 
mamit  52,  84 

Mandaic  religion  39,  71,  96,  239 
texts  20,  21,  37  f.,  244  f. 
Manichean  script  34 
Markaug,  B.  19 
marriage  charm,  238  f. 

Mazzikin  75 
Metatron  98,  113,  208 
Michael  96  f.,  98 
Moon  222,  239 
Montgomery,  J.  A.  21 
Moses  47,  107,  233 
murderous  demons,  s.  demons 
museums,  s.  Berlin,  British,  Con- 
stantinople, Lycklama,  Penn- 
sylvania, Washington,  Win- 
terthur 
mustalu  152 
Myhrman,  D.  20,  145 
myrtle  181 

mystery  rites  in  magic  52,  85,  243 
mystical  words  and  meanings  59  f., 
176 

mythical  and  apocryphal  allusions 
64 


313 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


names 

personal  49  f. 
of  demons  59,  261 
of  gods,  angels  56  f.,  58  f. 
as  charms  85  f.,  1 1 1 
Nannai  240 

necklaces  as  charms  87  f-,  186  f. 
New  Testament  magic  75,  78, 

91  f.,  107 

Nippur  13,  16,  21,  103,  1 13,  129 
Nirig  = Nergal  17 1,  239 
Noah  166 

Noldeke,  T.  19,  20,  no 

Okeanos  200 
orthoepy  61,  222 

Pahlavi  14,  20,  22 
Palestinian  dialect  29,  13 1 
parakku,  pairika,  73 
patkara  72 

Pennsylvania,  University  of  13  f., 
20 

Persian  magic  and  demonology  55, 
70,  1 16 

personification  in  magic  58,  89  f., 
94  f.,  99,  hi 
Peters,  J.  P.  13 
planets  as  evil  spirits  71,  135 
Pognon,  H.  20,  41 
poisoning  exorcised  84,  153 
poverty  exorcised  94 
praeparatum  182 

praxis  of  bowl  magic,  s.  bowl 
magic 

punctuation  29,  32 


Rabbinic  texts  27  f.,  117  f. 
Randall-Maclver,  D.  13 
Ranke,  H.  21 
Raphael  96  f.,  234 
rhyme  61,  185  f. 
resurrection,  charm  for  160 
reversal  of  charm  63 
Rodwell,  J.  M.  17,  18,  24 
rubric  for  magical  rite  175,  182 

Samhiza  198,  271 
sappn  88 
Satan,  Satans  79 
satyrs  80,  140 
Schwab,  M.  18,  24  f. 

Scripture  quotations  62  f.,  109 

sea,  spell  of  125 

sealing  53,  64,  130,  191 

Sebaoth  149,  1 5 1 , 164 

scdu  73,  no 

Selali  63 

Seth  166 

seven  in  magic  75,  79,  139 
Seven  spirits  79 
Shema  62  f.,  209 
sibilants  in  magic  60,  220 
si‘lat  157 

simulacrum  in  magic  176,  216,  250 

sin  exorcised  86,  in 

siptu  51,  109 

sixty  as  sacred  number  71 

skin  diseases  93 

skull  in  magic  21,  256  f. 

sleep  exposed  to  magic  143,  153 

Solomon  53,  64,  80,  173 

sons  of  light  119 


314: 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


sorcerers,  evil  83,  250 
spirits 

evil  ( rahin ) 74  f. 
familiar  142 
seducing  80 
Stiibe,  R.  19 
Sulzberger,  M.  44 
Sun  222,  239 
syllables,  magical  60 
Syriac  texts  16,  21,  32  f.,  223  f. 

tabi‘11  142 

Talmud,  magic  and  demonology  in 
40  f.,  43,  46.  49,  61-64,  7i» 
77,  85  f„  108,  1 19  f„  139,  143, 
173.  189,  214,  219,  257 
threatening  of  demons  131 
three  hundred  and  sixty  71 
tin  in  magic  249 
Tonks,  O.  S.  22 


‘umra  51 

utukki  54,  68,  73,  75,  no 

vampire  81,  157 
vows,  magical  84 

Washington  National  Mseuum  21 
water  in  magic  235 
wax  in  magic  250 
Winterthur  Museum  19 
witches,  witchcraft  78,  235,  261  f. 
Wohlstein,  J.  19,  25 
women  and  children,  objects  of 
charms  49,  77,  238,  240,  249, 
259  f. 

words,  magical  51,  57  (s.  incanta- 
tions) 

Yhvh  56,  60,  150,  210,  224 

zakiku  80 

Zeus  200 

Zimmern,  H.  no 

zodiacal  constellations  135  f. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


315 


GREEK  WORDS 


ayyelog  79,  91,  198 
a^XeXovia  63,  202 

afir/v  63 
ava&efia  84 
ftaaiXevc  1 76 
Salpoveg,  Saipoviaaai  74 
Selva  261 
SiafSo^oi  80 
elSuXov  72 

eif  to  ovofia  21 5 

enK'kpaia  79 

£'7TtK/l??<T«f  32,  84 

ETruSai  62 

etpiaXrr/ f 80,  82 

KaraSeiv , defigcre  5 2 

KaraSea/eoc,  dcfixio  44,  53,  54,  85,  III 

narexo/eevog,  kAtoxo f 79 


K-Ttpoi  250 

Aciyof  t£/o<5f  51,  84 

opKoi  84 

7T  apeSpoq  142 

naraxpa  72 

TTpay/ia , 7r pafjf  31 

ffaAa  63 

ffr/tf®  73 

arpayyahia  240 

<jGi^eiv1  cnjrr/pia , aurl/p  33^  1 29 

60,  18 1,  184 

reXeioi  86 

TEAETTj  8l,  85  f. 

tpappaKowoiia.  84 
<pvhaKTr/piov  44 

xpeiai  51 


PLATES 


Prefatory  Note 


The  concave  spherical  surface  on  which  the  bowl  texts  are  inscribed 
precluded  their  reproduction  by  photography.  At  the  best  only  a half  of  the 
text  can  be  obtained  satisfactorily  by  the  camera,  as  the  pair  of  photographs 
at  the  end  of  the  Plates  will  show.  Accordingly  the  texts  had  to  be  copied 
by  hand. 

Soon  after  the  bowls  came  to  the  Museum,  Professor  Jastrow,  of  the 
University,  and  Professor  Gottheil,  of  Columbia,  undertook  their  publica- 
tion. They  secured  the  services  of  Mr.  Horace  Frank,  Architect,  for  auto- 
graphing the  plates,  a considerable  sum  of  money  being  raised  to  meet  this 
expense.  Subsequently  Drs.  Jastrow  and  Gottheil  gave  up  their  plan  of 
publication,  and  when  Professor  Hilprecht,  then  Curator,  put  the  bowls  into 
my  hands,  I fell  heir  to  Mr.  Frank’s  labors.  I found  he  had  prepared  about 
75  plates,  but  of  these  I have  been  able  to  use  only  23,  covering  my  Numbers 
2,  3,  4,  6,  8,  g,  16,  17,  24,  28,  31,  36,  37,  38,  40.  His  other  plates  were 
copies  of  broken  and  mutilated  bowls  which  were  not  worth  publishing  (see 
Introduction,  §1).  It  appears  also  that  not  all  the  good  texts  were  placed 
in  his  hands,  or  else  that  he  did  not  complete  them  all. 

There  is  only  one  drawback  in  Mr.  Frank’s  excellent  reproductions, 
one  which  however  does  not  impair  their  accuracy.  Working  without  much 
direction  and  knowing  nothing  of  the  language,  he  often  broke  a word  at 
the  end  of  the  line  and  carried  it  over  to  the  next.  I have  seen  no  reason  to 
repair  this  technical  error  in  his  copies,  but  have  guarded  against  it  in  the 
work  of  the  later  copyists. 

There  thus  remained  of  the  texts  which  came  to  be  included  in  this 
publication  twenty-five  which  still  required  autographing.  Shrinking  from 
this  tedious  mechanical  labor,  especially  after  an  expert  hand  had  preceded 
me,  I was  very  glad  to  avail  myself  of  the  kind  cooperation  of  Professor 

(319) 


320 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


Gordon.  Director  of  the  Museum,  who  offered  me  the  expert  services  of  his 
staff.  Consequently,  under  my  direction,  the  remaining  copies  were 
prepared  by  Mr.  William  C.  Orchard  (Nos.  I,  5,  7,  10-15,  l9<  21‘23-  25- 
27,  2Q,  32,  34,  35),  and  by  Miss  M.  Louise  Baker  (Nos.  20.  26,  30,  33, 
39)- 

The  style  of  Mr.  Frank's  copies  conditioned  those  for  which  I am 
responsible.  He  had  abandoned  the  spiral  arrangement  of  the  originals  and 
made  his  reproductions  in  straight  lines.  This  method  may  be  faulted  as 
not  giving  the  exact  form  of  the  original,  but  this  demerit  is  small  as  com- 
pared with  the  advantage  to  the  scholar  of  having  the  whole  text  lying 
before  him  at  one  glance  without  his  being  under  the  necessity  of  turning 
a bulky  volume  around  and  around  to  follow  the  spiral  career  of  the  text. 
I was  therefore  quite  satisfied  to  retain  this  method  of  reproduction. 

It  may  be  remarked  that  all  my  decipherment  was  made  entirely  from 
the  originals ; only  after  my  own  work  was  finished  did  I compare  Mr. 
Frank’s  copies.  In  a few  cases  I was  able  to  improve  his  facsimiles,  in 
several  cases  his  copies,  which  were  made  when  the  texts  were  fresher  and 
more  legible  (they  have  manifestly  faded  under  exposure  to  light),  have 
helped  me  correct  or  enlarge  my  readings.  The  other  copyists  also  worked 
independently,  and  then  we  compared  our  respective  results.  The  coopera- 
tion of  others,  expert  copyists,  with  the  author  has  thus  tended  to  a full 
control  of  the  accuracy  of  the  facsimiles  and  transliterations. 

I have  finally  to  speak  in  the  highest  terms  of  the  artistic  and  pains- 
taking labors  of  these  two  gentleman  and  Miss  Baker,  whose  assistance  has 
afforded  me  so  great  relief. 


CATALOGUE 


TEXT  PLATE  CATALOGUE  SIZE  DESCRIPTION 

HUMBER  ia  centimetre*. 


feeigfet  fey  diameter 

i i 8693  6.5  + 1 7 

Broken  and  mended,  with  two 
holes.  Written  inside  and  out  in 
large  coarse  script,  .5  cm.  average 
height,  rude  spiral  design  in  center. 

2 2 2945  7.2  + 17.4 

Broken  and  mended.  Fair, 

large  characters.  .4  cm.  in  height. 
In  center  two  large  figures,  one  in 
reverse  position  to  other ; one  of 
which  appears  to  be  making  a sign 
with  his  hand  (as  against  the  evil 
eye?),  probably  the  sorcerer,  the 
other  with  feet  hobbled,  the  de- 
mon. 

3 3"4  2963  10.3  + 20.5 

Broken  and  mended,  with  a 
segment  6 -(-  12  cm.  missing.  Flat 
boss.  The  rim  of  the  bowl  has  a 
double  edge.  Fair  characters, 

.3  cm.  high.  In  the  center  figure  of 
a demon,  armed  with  helmet  and  a 
sabre  and  spear  in  either  hand,  and 
his  feet  manacled. 

4 4-5  2923  7-5  + 17-3 

Broken  and  mended,  small  seg- 
ment missing.  Characters  .4  cm. 
high.  In  the  center  figure  of  the 
sorcerer  waving  a magic  bough. 

321 


322 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


TEXT  PLATE  CATALOGUE  SIZE 

NUMBER  in  centimetres, 
height  by  diameter 

5 6 2952  7+18 


6 7 2916  6 + 15.8 


7 8 16007  5-6+15-7 


8 8-9  9013  8.5  + 16.6 


9 10  9010  6 + 17.7 


10  11  16014  6.9+14.2 


11  12  16022  6.3+16.1 


DESCRIPTION 

Slightly  broken  and  mended, 
with  small  fragment  missing. 
Characters  .4  cm.  high.  In  center 
rude  figure  of  a demon  with  four 
arms  and  one  leg. 

Perfect  bowl  hut  for  a fracture 
which  does  not  touch  the  text. 
Small  circle  in  center.  Characters 
.3  cm.  high,  rather  crabbed. 

Broken  and  mended,  with  a 
square  fragment  of  text  missing. 
Fine,  clear  characters,  .2  cm.  high. 
In  center  circle  with  cross. 

Broken  and  mended,  with  twro 
small  fragments  missing.  Charac- 
ters .2  cm.  high.  In  center  obscene 
picture  of  a lilith  with  hands  and 
feet  bound. 

Perfect  bowl.  Characters  much 
obliterated,  .4  cm.  high.  Circle  in 
center.  On  exterior  four  short 
lines  in  Hebrew. 

Broken  and  mended  with  seg- 
ment missing.  Characters  .4  cm. 
high.  In  center  monstrous  figure 
with  owl-like  head  and  apparently 
several  breasts,  presumably  a lilith. 

Broken  and  mended,  with  three 
fragments  of  the  text  missing. 
Characters  carelessly  written,  .3  cr 
.4  cm.  high.  In  center  rude  design, 
probably  of  a lilith. 


J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


323 


TEXT  PLATE  CATALOGUE  SIZE 

NUMBER  in  centimetre!, 
height  by  diameter 

12  13  9OO9  7-2  + I7.7 


13  14  8694  7 + 16.2 


14  15  16017  6.8+18.7 


15  16  16087  7-3  + I7-2 


16  17  2920  6.8  + 16.3 


17  18  2922  7 + 15.7 


18  19  8695  7.2  + 16. 1 


DESCRIPTION 

Perfect  bowl.  Characters  .4  cm. 
high,  coarse  but  distinctly  formed. 
In  center  a demon,  with  beastlike 
face  and  arms  and  feet  bound. 
Endorsement  on  exterior. 

Broken  and  mended,  with  small 
piece  missing.  Coarse,  clumsy 
characters,  .6  cm.  high.  In  the 
center  a clumsy  figure  of  a demon 
with  caterpillar-like  arms.  Text 
continued  on  the  exterior  for  6 
lines. 

Broken  and  mended,  with  miss- 
ing segment.  Characters  .4  cm. 
high,  in  a good  hand.  In  center  a 
lilith  with  hands  and  feet  manacled. 

Broken  and  mended.  Characters 
.4  cm.  high.  In  center  figure  of  a 
serpent  with  its  tail  in  its  mouth. 

Broken  and  mended.  Characters 
coarse,  .3  cm.  high.  Rough  circle 
in  center. 

Broken  and  mended,  with  a seg- 
ment missing.  Characters  coarse, 
.4  cm.  high.  In  the  center  the  cir- 
cle and  cross,  formed  in  a peculiar 
way. 

Broken  and  mended,  with  frag- 
ment of  about  5 cm.  square  miss- 
ing. Coarse  characters,  .4  cm. 
high.  In  center  rude  and  faded 
design — of  a demon? 


324 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


TEXT  PLATE  CATALOGUE  SIZE  DESCRIPTION 

NUMBER  in  centimetres, 
height  by  diameter 


19  20  6.6 -f- 17.6 

Broken  and  mended.  Characters 
crabbed  and  obscure,  closely  writ- 
ten, .3  cm.  high.  Circle  and  cross 
in  center. 

20  21  16023  7+17 

Broken  and  mended,  fragment 
missing.  Large,  coarse  characters, 
.6  cm.  high.  Large  figure  of  a de- 
mon manacled,  with  a circle  in  his 
breast  bisected  by  two  lines.  For 
the  magical  words  accompanying 
see  commentary. 

21  22  16054  6.5  -f  1 7 

Broken  and  mended,  with  two 
fragments  missing,  a small  one  in 
the  text.  Script  large,  .8  cm.  high, 
and  rude.  In  center  a rectangular 
figure  divided  into  three  squares, 
in  one  of  those  at  the  end  two  large 
markings  like  letters. 

22  22-23  16006  6.5  + 16 

Broken  and  mended,  with  two 
fragments  missing.  From  the 
same  hand  as  No.  21  and  with  the 
same  design,  the  markings  in  the 
square  suggesting  a face. 

23  22  16090  7 -f-  17.2 

Broken  and  mended.  From  the 
same  hand  as  Nos.  21,  22,  and  with 
similar  design. 

24  23  2926  7 + 1 6.8 

Broken  and  mended,  small  frag- 
ment missing.  Coarse  script,  .7 
cm.  high.  In  the  center  a figure  of 
rude  concentric  circles  with  radial 

lines. 

J.  A.  MONTGOMERY — ARAMAIC  INCANTATION  TEXTS. 


325 


TEXT 

PLATE  CATALOGUE 

SIZE 

NUMBER 

in  centimetres. 

height  by  diameter 

25 

24  ’ 16009 

6.9  + 17.2 

26  24  3997  6.9+15.5 


27  25  16041  5.6  + l6.6 


28  25  2972  6.5  + 16.5 


29  26  16055  6.8  + 17 


30  26  16096  6.5  + 16.S 


31  27  9008  6.6+16 


32  28  16086  6.9+17 


DESCRIPTION 

Broken  and  mended,  with  four 
fragments  missing.  Coarse  script, 
.5  cm.  high. 

Broken  and  mended.  Script 
.4  cm.  high.  In  the  center  a rough 
circle  bisected  by  two  lines,  in  each 
segment  a magical  word. 

Broken  and  mended  with  two 
considerable  fragments  missing. 
Script  fine  and  fair,  .2  cm.  high. 
In  the  center  a circle  with  cross. 

Broken  and  mended,  four  frag- 
ments missing,  the  text  much 
blurred  or  obliterated.  A fair 
script, .3  cm.  high. 

Broken  and  mended,  one  frag- 
ment missing.  Bold  and  well 
formed  characters  .5  cm.  high. 

Broken  and  mended,  small  frag- 
ment missing.  Script  .3  to  .4  cm. 
high.  In  center  rude  figure  of  a 
lilith  with  tresses  flying  and  hands 
and  feet  bound. 

Perfect.  Syriac  script,  .3  cm. 
high.  In  center  a circle  divided 
into  four  squares  each  with  a cross 
in  it. 

Broken  and  mended,  one  large 
and  one  small  fragment  missing. 
Same  script  and  design  as  in  No. 
3i- 


326 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYLONIAN  SECTION. 


TEXT 

PLATE 

CATALOGUE 

NUMBER 

SIZE 

in  centimetres, 
height  by  diameter 

DESCRIPTION 

33 

29 

16019 

6.2  + 15.5 

Broken  and  mended,  with  two 
considerable  fragments  missing.  In 
center  cross  with  circle. 

34 

30 

9012 

7-5  + 17-5 

Broken  and  mended.  Design  as 
in  Nos.  31,  32. 

35 

31 

16097 

6.5  + 16. 1 

Broken  and  mended,  two  small 
fragments  missing.  Design  as  in 
No.  33. 

36 

32 

2933 

6-3  + 15-4 

Broken  and  mended,  with  about 
half  of  the  two  lines  on  the  margin 
missing. 

37 

33 

2943 

6-5  + 17 

Broken  and  frequently  repaired, 

much  of  the  margin  missing  and  a 
large  part  of  the  text  obliterated. 
The  script  the  smallest  in  the 
Syriac  bowls,  .2  to  .3  cm.  high.  In 
the  center  circle  and  cross,  each 
segment  containing  presumably 
letters  of  the  Tetragrammaton. 

38  34  2941  7 + 17  Broken  and  mended,  with  sever- 

al small  holes.  Mandaic  script 
average  character  about  .2  cm. 
high.  Small  circle  in  center.  A 
brief  phrase  written  radially  near 
the  margin  on  the  exterior. 


39  35  9005  6.8+17.2 


40  36-38  2972  7.3  + 17.2 


Broken  and  mended,  some  frag- 
ments missing.  Script  larger  and 
coarser  than  in  No.  38,  .3  cm.  high. 

Broken  and  mended,  some  large 
lacunae.  Script  as  in  No.  39.  The 
text  covers  also  most  of  the  ex- 
terior. Circles  in  the  center. 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM 


BABYL.  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


PLATE  I. 


I 


’irj’-rfC  '.’V  y^n 

n»a>)  4>7Y‘rtiN/  Tij  nsc'  k-h'dac5  n>ij 

yin  $ Jrp-*-^  k-^io  -n3V  )n±?  ?vmi> 

'n-'HlH  v >/R  y )WH^ 

^ b £> 6 _r\  tJ  y ) “i  J ^nij 

n jl>  ’ b>  ^ y>^  r?  n W X r< 

y>  HTi^7  pnj-rr>^7  -n  ^ 

K*fn£>  yw^iJN/  his  n^R 
yO’5.V  -ji  1JXS3V/R*  rVb'o-  -s^!a 
y'*r^H  ys-s-nu^X  vx/i a 

» yiD  D >xi?£  RjrM|i^>3  >i’V 

yym^b4/  M javyAx  ;y',‘7f7a>> 
j j y >j*inb  n y»n<r£j  mf>10  k\"t  yb 
>?  y>E>-?3n 

y>*i  Anb  >n  ybA-obi  y>x>^JJ)  yo^ 
y'*7AVb'»  y>b*>ij'  y^AY'-b  V/ 

T »^>>tI-n  *7->  TRj-viP'Vii  »7 

EXTERIOR  12 

'ni-s-bj  P7'd)  yiSn^b)')  Y’^y  y^^-ro1 

>n)b*ri 7 *v.s-y  V/t’n^  y>-^yb- 

•>_sr±r  -n)b^3  >vj 

Rbb»in  yiijjpv/ 

i±n/_v  J-\T t3 -r-yi,  yy/A  ^ A V/ >>V14 D ) D il 
ktrtk.  qi^^>  Kj-\y/).y  5 

4>>)  <3^»ja  >/<  y>D>  n-sbVt  n*xar-r'J? 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYL.  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


PLATE  II. 


2 


•yay'jH^'nyH 

i^r>4 W vr  r&v>**r  ^OV^v 

\W  my\$v  T^H;  Vs^y*^ 

t*ip*W*9  ^m«y\w  ;n*?3?m*V033  r^^v^-21  ^co 

tj>*' 


t&v^  An  i w ^ f^i 

5U&L**3  *5^0  9 isshsn5^ 

Mfi  '7<>'*Sf>*3.  Wrnjt  >^i'^V3> TPS>i>f  “3'  T'5F,^w! 
^y»>H>J  'M  t»?OVt>  ‘ >3  NV>3lA. 

<«>y>»fiVi>  rt»rv*  ^inw  fVf^-'JO  /'iM'Syi*  «$*3»V' 

f*-*wu»  V>t  V>viiA>k %* w>”  ™ v. 


^>r»3  «$m 

.rt*’>*  vj$*>>  \»*wp  mw  S'»’>v  i**iv>i  /^Stvpvcj' 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYL.  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


PLATE  III. 


Aia V'i* \*)V>wn ft**?’/****  yov^^i 

wv^iyn'i \»*«vr  n\*\>*a*t 

) ytvww*y^  oVwm'W  wjijv/*k  pv>j\>W  jv>V^ 

*\S  A*  ) 

ji\wwfcjflnj£fi\\*>  *?in^!v  ^v^-*h  V^iwW 

\>mj>-n>  \w£'X*))  v\y*  jr\%\)vp'fl 

ro\  * V>  * i v*1  * **  v \ **j  ; ,a'  ytAj***»  $*3 

■vimbtr*  p^'i i>-* ^ ^ ^ ^ r» >* t > / 7 tTi AWMyfiS 

>K^y>  p»^  r>*< 

fixflVin^  » y t*  j>®  jt>^p 

yHv 'Vm r»*/» ' >>  b v *ni)VrJ\5^  V *1  /* />\va -j a\ » t ^-»  A'O 

V'i  -53^yn  t<  \'  n i 

p\\?iyy)MsV*&YbyX\}  yr6s^«n  >J  r •?  n'nSa  y^> 

g ^\vr«#r° 

W*****^/^  n\3^V>SAnTA/»^ 
y-in^  ft  ** njwxyxsjs  ns*2  \'irv*p>  \\>yy ->y  y*>)  in  uj  1 y 
|>*>>TVl  ^^WKH 

yin />%*■»  d>*1 p>b  0*if  v^) m*r'W  S*nrt|B  nf 
MSVf^ri'  «?#*U>V*1A\\^VHyf  m%>2l1  y*l11S»\5>|iMt>lVit  V 

'<)£•>  u 

*>a>  Joiv**yAv> 

y^n  ovc*p 

1L  av>s»mv^  !«*>*» 

*m*  <i  " y*n 

\wn  ytAjpun  joijpnj1** 

*yp**\v>of%S#  rAjfi * ^> M *y> $yt* \> vt* 

' pS^»  *ym;w  *p  j*'m  avji  * /<p  * n 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYL.  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


PLATE  IV. 


FIGURE  FOR  TEXT  4. 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYL.  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


PLATE  V. 


Hysw Kt+yyy? r>v 
n>.s  .^4>n>7i  ^/*v>*>*xowvd 


WI/W’y*  JK<&t j j»> 

*mjt^STW 

<0>*i?3)  /av>’>  x-v>p>r<^  *v>>xyipf&\*  ^ti-o 
Tiy'lV  nw  v\5#<i 
^ \»WV»V»» 

+yiY&>rafyi  **v»  «>vw>  xvy4/  >bn 

. ,!«*i 

*WS *$OPsM  X)  XWv\ 

/♦war*  /*V>  pM,?  'ViVs^i 

y?Kj?vtv->*>  YoyiA^s  /siyilVi  \>&\y} 

vn&V}  jft&viifjM  n»V  W>nv?  >»•»-» 

/^yjA**?  <*y»**l  m^'V*  a7  >» vso* 


fl>9>*9  ^'r9^*tTn^5'31 


■ 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYL.  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


PLATE  VI. 


5 


?n? fl*’-)*** 

t>p}J>  ' /h*y(%>y\  £^J>ywp  4p»mn 

tifilM'f*  H))  &*'  * )*1  }& fir)  Mfj/gpiJS? 

ynszv'?  tyj"ppn*  n'lt?  &JJ 
,Ait  n*^Sw>J 

B>mv>  lnX)»  0^t>D}p.if  >yp$jj  flyi> *&&*#*& bit  X\\f) 

KD&f^  *5  wn  ny  //»&&>*  p>3 

n v w»ft  j jaypy  &>*>*>*?)* fep\}r  p*my*  k)  {[in 

5 

’Jh p !Mf>> y£  J js  n>iU[0$ >*  Q)n  nna 

t\)Vi  yJJji ) y9e>  b I*  «i  w *sb  k tt%  vs  *1  *? »y  n?ft»  /?  1 is 
& K^/'il'^4/>*i)\  h%  *\2  MJM)  VA^  i\3phf^ 

f Vfb  \*y 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYL.  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


PLATE  VII. 


rvynH*i)  'WftnTr^*^^'r\faiowTvyvrtiwv<y'pyp'x*  3 

? V)  r^y\ r\ 7 )\»tv l)  VW^yiWM*'*  * 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYL.  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


PLATE  VIII. 


7 


1 ^ 2 

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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYL.  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


PLATE  IX. 


r*AA>  **%***'-'*«»  ttr"v  »3  *r»SA  ,py*fU'\W 


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13 


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^ri'SY>'%Vy*v  V>  jiiK>0  j^-a 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM,  BABYL.  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


PLATE  X. 


9 

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j%*)»'l  *9A*  ftfi<?lf>1$JX 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYL.  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


PLATE  XI. 


10 


\M  hi  \v>>  T3u>\»  3-  fr>  W O \u>  p J> '1\  \\“^3  \*i>  | 

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i^K  l^iv  vysvpV*  V*j  \n^NDt>u>’i7  ^ <V) 7 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYL,  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


PLATE  XII. 


rniTi  av'  zSr^?*»3  \ $±>  ri'^\D  x>»nn  *\ 

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3 U3/<  t\nVW  ^ ^ M'i  n mr^/  $»**✓  t^w^a  t^'pys 

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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYL.  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


PLATE  XIII. 


12 


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EXTERIOR 

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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYL.  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


PLATE  XIV. 


13 


nl53>j^-n  ir»*>3^y  pn $•>£>*  p mbiji  p 30 
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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYL.  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


PLATE  XV. 


14 


‘-yN'i amtm3 

o P 5^  «-jS  V *A  W t?  n 
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^a'  ^«oa'  <ftA£r*r\i^s> vp^inA  <tPi>i 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYL.  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


PLATE  XVI. 


15 


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^>3 \*3  D 1 J7  Vl,'T'>pX134f^1!l)S<3,^3l3C"! 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYL.  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


PLATE  XVII. 


16 


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V*  AO  A?  / »iV  O//rfYp>rt 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYL.  SECTION  VOL,  III. 


PLATE  XVIII. 


17 

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, •m*iJ$  t»A7lO^)  ^6/» 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYL.  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


FLATE  XIX 


18 


^7^  n»riyv^X/N  Tiir/  >4  $)VV  .7  (V  b ^ 

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nnS^Tr  n4  XT&rfftP-’JM  r>"On^'2  *b'  jy<r*\' 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYL.  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


PLATE  XX. 


19 

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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYL.  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


PLATE  XXL 


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PLATE  XXXVI. 


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PLATE  XXXVII. 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYL.  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


PLATE  XXXVIII. 


40  CONTINUED 


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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYL.  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


PLATE  XXXIX. 


ALPHABETIC  TABLES. 

I Square  Script.  H Mandaic  Script. 

4 jg  19  21-23  26  25  Text  Numbers  38  39 


UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYL.  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


PLATE  XL. 


III.  COMPARATIVE  TABLE  FOR  SYRIAC  SCRIPT. 


ESSyrifc  el°  Bowl  Text3- 

Mani- 

riiipan 

Turkish. 

Estranghelo 

Syriac. 

Bowl  Texts. 

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UNIVERSITY  MUSEUM.  BABYL.  SECTION  VOL.  III. 


PLATE  XLI. 


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ii  + J A , 


INTERIOR  OF  INSCRIBED  BOWL  PHOTOGRAPHED  FROM  OPPOSITE  POINTS. 


